Jim Prentice

[The Environment, March 15th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government supports research on climate change. Environment Canada allocates $12 million annually to research on climate change. Furthermore, the 2010 budget adds $11 million to this amount in order to establish meteorological services in the Arctic. That represents $23 million more than the Bloc has contributed to climate change research.

[The Environment, March 15th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the matter my friend raises in the House goes back to 2007-08. I would encourage him that this is 2010. He should probably understand what is going on today in terms of climate change and Copenhagen. I understand he does not want to talk about 2010 because, of course, the government has agreed with the Copenhagen court.

I can advise the House that as of today 106 nations agree with the Government of Canada. In addition, more than 90% of the world's emissions are under this agreement. The world supports Copenhagen. Why do my hon. friend and the Liberal Party not?

[Environment Canada, March 15th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, science, research and empiricism is obviously valuable to the Government of Canada, including that which relates to science change. It is valuable work. The government has supported it and continues to support it.

I would point out to my hon. friend that these allegations are dated. Environment Canada has the same media relations policy as every other department in the Government of Canada. Those are preposterous allegations.

[Oil and Gas Industry, March 12th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the member has his facts simply wrong. If he were to look into the matter, he would find that there is much that we can applaud in Canada, in particular our electricity system which is one of the cleanest of any major industrial democracy in the world. Seventy-five per cent of Canada's electricity system emits no carbon whatsoever.

This government has made investments, such as the green infrastructure fund of $1 billion and the green technology fund of $1 billion, continuing over several years. Those are the kinds of investments that we need to do to continue to ensure we get our electricity system in particular to 90% non-emitting or low-emitting status.

[Scientific Research, March 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, there have indeed been years of effort and there has indeed been in excess of $100 million of taxpayer money expended over the last 10 years. Surely the hon. member and his party would support taking stock of what we have learned, what we have accomplished and what we need to do from here.

This foundation has not been shut down. In fact, I have extended the mandate of the foundation for an additional year, into 2012, to allow it to complete the accountabilities, the reporting on the work that has been done.

[Scientific Research, March 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada does and has supported climate change research. In fact, our country has invested in excess of $110 million on climate change research since 2000.

Certainly we have not closed the foundation of which the hon. member speaks. We think, however, it is appropriate for that foundation to report to the government on the progress that has been made with the dollars that have been invested and also what we have learned from the research that has been done. That is what we are directing our efforts to this year.

[The Environment, March 9th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the member does not accurately portray the proposed changes under discussion or that will be made.

There is no intent to transfer to the National Energy Board jurisdiction from other agencies. The intent is to streamline the regulatory process, the environmental process.

Every respected commentator in this country who has looked at this has criticized the overweight of duplicative regulatory and environmental processes in the country. They have called for streamlining to achieve environmental objectives, as well as to advance economic objectives. We will strike that balance and we will do it properly.

[The Environment, March 9th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's assertions are wrong but I would encourage her to work with us as we try to streamline and improve the environmental assessment process.

I would draw to her attention that the kinds of changes the government will be bringing forward were called for by the commissioner for environmental sustainability in 2009, the report on the smart regulator in 2005, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and the Council of the Federation and the premiers in virtually every year since 2000.

[The Environment, March 9th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, we are not closing the foundation, and the Bloc should support our efforts.

With the Copenhagen accord, our government is committed to fighting climate change. That is why we are taking real steps to meet those targets.

The Copenhagen accord is the first international agreement that includes major emitters. It is a pleasure to tell the House of Commons today that 104 nations have ratified the accord, which represents 80% of global emissions. Like the Bloc, the whole world supports the accord.

[The Environment, March 9th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences was created in 2000 with $110 million in public funding until 2011. We are not closing the foundation. We have extended its mandate until 2012. The foundation will still be able to report to the government on the work it has done with public funding. That is a great deal of money.

Climate change research is very important, but we have to ensure that funding is allocated efficiently.