House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2025, with 48% of the vote.
Business of Supply April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
He has brought up a very interesting point. If all Canadians used a low fuel consumption vehicle, we would decrease greenhouse gas emissions overall, and it would be very good for all of Canada.
I thank my colleague for putting forward this idea, and I hope that all Canadians will take this initiative in the near future.
Business of Supply April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take part in this debate on greenhouse gas emissions and on the measures taken by the Government of Canada to reduce these emissions and to improve air quality in our country.
Energy and the production of energy have always been a pillar of development in our country. It is part of the reality of our geography, our lifestyle and our economy. We rely on energy for almost everything we do. It is an issue and a challenge that was ignored for too long under the previous government.
We had to act and that is exactly what the new Government of Canada did. We went beyond the Liberal rhetoric on the environment and took drastic measures. After 13 long years of inaction and increasing greenhouse gas emissions under the Liberal government, we have come to the point where we are taking action to reduce emissions through decisive measures.
In January of this year, the Minister of Natural Resources announced the Government of Canada's ecoENERGY Initiatives. These initiatives, which will be funded to the tune of $2 billion, are part of the government's integrated approach to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
The ecoenergy efficiency initiatives are threefold: the ecoenergy efficiency initiative, an investment of $340 million aimed at promoting more intelligent use of energy; the ecoenergy technology initiative, an investment of $200 million for energy sciences and technology; and the ecoenergy renewable initiative, an investment of $1.5 billion designed to increase the supply of renewable energy in Canada.
Together, these initiatives help to provide support for research and the development of ways of cleaning up our traditional energy sources, for implementation of solutions for reducing the demand for energy, and for greater use of clean, renewable energy to meet the country’s energy consumption needs.
I wish to assure the House that these initiatives are not simply plans on paper. We have taken concrete action. We have rolled up our sleeves and got down to work.
At the beginning of the month, we announced the details of the Government of Canada's ecoenergy retrofit initiative. By providing grants of up to $5,000, this program really encourages Canadians to retrofit their houses in order to make them more energy efficient. Furthermore, out of every program dollar, 90¢ will go directly towards renovations.
Under the ecoenergy retrofit initiative, 35,000 homeowners will receive grants. This is many more than the average of 25,000 owners under the old program. Also, since 90¢ out of every dollar will go directly to renovations, the average grant given to owners will be close to $1,110, instead of the $800 under the old program. A larger proportion of the money will go directly to homeowners rather than program administration.
Small- and medium-sized businesses, institutions and industrial organizations will also be able to take advantage of this program with grants of up to $50,000 designed to offset the cost of renovations made to increase energy efficiency.
Obviously this is progress not only for home and business owners, but for all Canadians. Houses and buildings are responsible for close to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. We are all winners when they become more energy efficient.
Given our determination to really limit greenhouse gas emissions, we are investing not only in incentives to promote energy-efficient renovations, but also in the ecoenergy for renewable power program, which will increase the supply of clean electricity from renewable sources, such as wind, biomass and low-impact hydroelectricity, by 4,000 megawatts. This should be enough to supply about one million homes.
We will also invest over $35 million in the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program for homes and businesses. This funding will help switching to renewable energy technologies for space heating and cooling, and also for water heating.
We have also taken important measures in research and technology. As I already mentioned, under our ecoENERGY initiative for technology, $200 million will be allocated to energy science and technology. This program will also be supported by a number of initiatives mentioned in the 2007 budget, including a $500 million investment in Sustainable Development Technology Canada.
I will give an example of government science and technology at work. NRCan scientists have developed an entirely new approach in commercial refrigeration by working in cooperation with Loblaws and other partners in Repentigny, Quebec, and in Ottawa, Ontario. They showed how their system works. This system could revolutionize the quick frozen food section in groceries, with a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 30% reduction in energy use.
As we all know, it is not just using energy, but also producing it that contributes to the creation of environmental waste. This is why managing waste and tar sand residues is a major environmental issue. Natural Resources Canada has teamed up with the industry, the University of Alberta and the Government of Alberta to create a new research facility on tar sand residues. Its objective is to find new solutions to manage this environmental waste.
Here is another example of measures taken under the ecoENERGY program: Shell Canada is using the innovative froth treatment technology developed by CTEC in Devon, for its $1 billion oil sands production. The company was able to go directly from a laboratory demonstration project to a fully operational production facility at the Fort McMurray tar sands complex.
Our ecoENERGY initiatives provide concrete solutions. As the Minister of Natural Resources said:
Canada is an emerging energy superpower, but energy production and use are the source of most of our air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Our challenge is to be a clean energy superpower and our ecoENERGY Initiatives are designed to meet this challenge.
We are meeting this challenge and we are striving to honour the environmental commitments we made. We are taking the necessary action and working seriously. We urge Canadians to participate in our programs. Through these initiatives, government, businesses, universities and all Canadians can make Canada a leader in energy efficiency.
Israel April 24th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I have a message to deliver on this the 59th anniversary of the independence of Israel.
I would like to add my voice to that of my colleagues in extending my most sincere wishes to the members of the Jewish community in Quebec and Canada on this occasion.
Since 1948, the State of Israel has been a bulwark of liberty. It is also the only true democracy in the Middle East.
In the face of numerous threats of global terrorism, we know that we can always count on Israel being on the frontline of defence of the free world, as it has been ever since it was established.
In the context of World War II, Winston Churchill said that never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. These words aptly reflect our gratitude and commitment to that country.
When the partition plan of the British mandate in the Middle East was voted on in 1947, Israel was able to count on Canada.
I state proudly that Israel will always be able to count on the support of the members of this House.
Happy Yom Haatsmaout.
Bloc Québécois April 16th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, last week, PQ supporters from Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, including an assistant to former Bloc member Yvan Loubier, decided to begin taking steps to get to the bottom of things, as called for by their leaders.
Given that Quebeckers will soon be able to speak out democratically, their very clear message should serve as an inspiration to many members in this House.
In their words, “The presence of sovereignist members in Ottawa should ensure that the rules of the game are respected in the event of a referendum.” However, the Bloc prefers to ignore the evidence suggesting that people are fed up with the repeated referendums.
Regarding the Bloc's presence in Ottawa, they added that “this situation is no longer tenable” and that it is time for the Bloc members “to return to Quebec to take care of what is essential” and to not waste its time on federal debates, especially since the Bloc Québécois cannot bring about any solutions that would serve the interests of Quebec, unlike our Conservative government.
For the past 15 months, the Bloc Québécois has been trying to clarify the mystery of Quebec. Well, I would suggest that Bloc members first listen to their rank and file and make the obvious decision.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that, unlike the political party to which the hon. member for Gatineau belongs, we and the other members of this House voted in favour of Bill S-3 on official languages. Accordingly, the Bloc is in no position to be lecturing us. We will work to ensure that linguistic duality is just as strong in the Canadian armed forces as it is in other federal institutions.
Mr. Speaker, allow me, first, to assure the House that the Minister of National Defence and the Canadian Forces recognize the importance of official languages and are determined to improve their performance in this field.
The transformation model establishes the Canadian Forces’ official languages strategic vision, which will ensure that members of the Canadian Forces are to be consistently led, trained, administered and supported in their official language of choice, in accordance with the requirements of the Official Languages Act.
There is a myth that the Official Languages Act requires each member of the Canadian Forces to be bilingual. Even members of the public service are not all required to be bilingual.
I can assure the House that there is nothing to prevent francophone members of the Canadian Forces from gaining promotion. That is a false notion concerning the transformation model. There will be no negative impact on the professional advancement of francophones.
The transformation model will have a positive impact on the careers of both anglophones and francophones. Indeed, francophones are well represented in the Canadian Forces. In 2005-06, the percentage of francophones in the Canadian Forces was higher than the percentage of francophones in the Canadian population.
French is the mother tongue of about one-quarter of the Canadian population, while 27.4% of the members of the Canadian Forces are francophones. More than 27% of the members of the forces are francophones, including 28% of general officers and 33% of chief warrant officers and chief petty officers, first class.
Francophones are very well represented in the Canadian Forces and they will continue to be well represented in the future.
They are not only well represented at subordinate levels, but also in the higher levels of the Canadian Forces. Being a francophone in no way prevents a member of the military from advancing to higher ranks in the armed forces.
Ensuring that military personnel can be trained in their official language of choice is a priority of the Canadian Forces. That is why one of the priorities of the transformation model is to create a core of bilingual military instructors.
All training for recruits is offered in both official languages. While there is still work to be done, the Canadian Forces have made progress in offering training courses in both official languages. In 2005-06, some 21.6% of all courses were offered in French or in both official languages, an increase over the 18% of courses in 2004-05.
The new Official Languages Transformation Model will bring the Canadian Forces more completely in line with the requirements of the Official Languages Act.
It includes a new method for determining whether military and civilian personnel of the Department of National Defence are fulfilling their official language obligations in the workplace. We will thus be better able to address and take measures to remedy any problems more quickly.
I am convinced that the transformation model will enable us to resolve the issues raised by the Commissioner of Official Languages and to allay the concerns of those who have raised questions.
Implementation of this plan will ensure a fairer and more equitable environment in which members of the Canadian Forces, anglophones as well as francophones, will be able to work and learn in the official language of their choice, in accordance with the Official Languages Act.
The Budget March 21st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that Quebec stakeholders applaud the Conservative budget tabled by the Minister of Finance.
The vice-president and chief economist of the Conseil du Patronat, Diane Bellemare, believes that the budget “contains a large number of concrete measures that will stimulate investment and wealth creation”.
According to Jean-Luc Trahan, president and executive director of the Quebec manufacturers and exporters association, “the federal government heard the call of the manufacturers”.
With regard to the $800 million investment to strengthen the quality and competitiveness of the Canadian post-secondary education system, the president of the Fédération des cégeps, Gaëtan Boucher, stated that “a significant step forward has definitely been taken”.
According to Robert Coulombe, first vice-president of the union of Quebec municipalities, the investments in infrastructure programs and extension of gas tax funding for municipalities “are definitely the measures of most interest to municipalities”.
Because the budget restores the fiscal balance and invests in Canadians' priorities, federal Liberals from Quebec should pull together and vote in favour of this budget.
Mr. Speaker, as has already been said in this House, the government wants to have the necessary technical amendments to Bill C-55 adopted, to be able to implement the wage earner protection program.
Considering the government's heavy legislative agenda, the Minister of Labour hopes to count on the unanimous support of this House in order to expedite the adoption of the necessary technical amendments, thus ensuring the effectiveness of the program.
I am just as eager as my colleague to pass this act and implement the program.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to answer the question asked by the hon. member for Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert.
As the member knows, the Wage Earner Protection Program Act was part of Bill C-55, which proposed a comprehensive reform of Canadian bankruptcy legislation, the purpose of which was to adapt that scheme to better reflect the needs of businesses, investors and employees.
In the last Parliament, Bill C-55 passed very quickly, thanks to the unanimous support of members of all parties.
When Bill C-55 was passed in 2005, it was understood that the legislation would be examined in greater depth by the Senate committee responsible for the matter later, with the aim of resolving certain technical problems before it came into force.
In fact, the members of the Senate committee asked that implementation of the legislation be postponed until after June 30, 2006, so that they could study it further.
That is the background against which the Minister of Labour and Minister of Industry worked together to draft a bill to amend that legislation.
I would like to discuss the main technical amendments that we would like to introduce so that we can be sure that the wage earner protection program operates as was originally intended by Parliament.
One of those amendments is to authorize the wage earner protection program to pay bankruptcy trustees for work done in connection with administering the program in certain circumstances, to facilitate equitable access to the program by employees who have not been paid.
Another amendment is to change the eligibility requirements to make them fairer, while reducing the risk of abuse.
On December 8, the Minister of Labour tabled a notice of ways and means motion so that the bill to make these technical amendments could be introduced. He urged the opposition to support the motion and the bill, so that this important legislation could be implemented as soon as possible.
Given the government's full legislative agenda, the Minister of Labour hopes to be able to count on the unanimous support of all parties so that this bill can be submitted to the Senate in as short a time as possible.
My government again urges all members of the House to support this important legislation.
The Environment February 28th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, on Monday, some experts interviewed during the television program Le Point confirmed that, as regards the environment, the former Liberal government merely used nice rhetoric and empty promises when it claimed to want to reduce CO2 emissions by 6%, compared to the 1990 level.
Claude Villeneuve, a professor at the department of basic sciences at the Université du Québec in Chicoutimi, said, “Canada's position...was to shoot itself in the foot, by setting such an objective without first examining the constraints that it would bring”.
Moreover, Jean-Thomas Bernard, a professor at Université Laval's department of economy, added, “reducing emissions to such a degree over such a short period of time is totally unrealistic. The Canadian economy, as we know it, could not generate such reductions”.
We also learned that even if we stopped the development of tar sands in Alberta and shut down coal-fired generating stations in Ontario, the Dion gap would still be of 216 tonnes of CO2 over the 1990 level.
While the Bloc is simply noticing the Liberal government's irresponsibility—