Jim Prentice

[The Environment, February 6th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the hon. member for Kitchener Centre to the House environment committee and thank him for his excellent work.

Our investments in clean technology, particularly in areas such as carbon capture and storage, allow Canada to lead the world in transformative technologies. The partnering that we have achieved with the provinces through initiatives such as the ecotrust has allowed the provinces, within their own jurisdictions, to pursue the reduction of greenhouse gases.

It is crucial in our collective fight as a federation that we work together to reduce greenhouse gases and clean up our environment.

[The Environment, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the commissioner's report. It contains valuable recommendations that the government is taking action on with respect to a number of areas in terms of some of the accounting issues that are raised. We have already taken action with respect to recommendations from the round table on the environment, a group I met with immediately after becoming the minister to discuss these very issues.

In terms of investments in technologies that will reduce greenhouse gases, surely it is clear even to the NDP that such investments are essential. Renewable energies and investments in technologies are what will deal with our greenhouse gas emissions.

[The Environment, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is clear from what has been said in the House over the last several years that every time the government takes specific action with respect to the environment, every time we bring forward choices for Canadians to make individual decisions to reduce energy, improve energy efficiency, tax credits that help Canadians, the Liberal Party is opposed to those individual responsibilities. They are different from us in that respect.

We will continue to take action on the environment through choices by individual Canadians.

[The Environment, February 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to work on this. We continue to focus on emissions. We continue to ensure that we achieve the environmental objectives that we have spoken about in the House.

[The Environment, February 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, our government's position is very clear, as are our intentions.

Our intentions are very clear: first, a North American approach to combatting greenhouse gas emissions. That is our position. That has been the position of President Obama. And, frankly, that has been the position of their coalition.

[The Environment, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we clearly disagree, and I will talk about this with Ms. Beauchamp, the Quebec minister. Once again, the member should read the budget carefully. In this budget, there is plenty of money for clean energy projects, technologies such as carbon capture and others. That is more than any previous government has done.

[The Environment, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that is not the case and the Bloc does not understand that we must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions through new technologies. Solution CO₂, on the other hand, is a Quebec company devoted to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This company understood and applauded the budget. The member should align his opinions with that of Solution CO₂ and congratulate us.

[The Environment, February 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, if the Bloc has not read the budget, at least it could read the document drawn up by the coalition, which is in perfect agreement with our government’s position.

Our government is working together with the United States and the new president, President Obama, on a North American exchange system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

[The Environment, February 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have been talking to Line Beauchamp, Quebec's minister of sustainable development, environment and parks, and we are making progress.

That is not the real question though. The real question is where the Bloc stands. Last month, it and its coalition partners wanted a carbon exchange with the United States. This month, it wants a carbon exchange with Europe. What is the Bloc’s real position?

[The Environment, January 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for the question and for all of his hard work with respect to this file.

The budget has confirmed our continuing commitment to the environment with initiatives such as a new fund for green infrastructure, support for eco-energy retrofits, a dedicated fund for clean energy projects, including renewable energies, major investment as well for energy retrofits for social housing, and advanced dollars on federal contaminated sites. That is quite a list, quite a record.