John Baird

[The Environment, May 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I do know that the member supports the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, which is very interesting given his comments, to help flow petroleum products to market.

We reject the Liberal approach, which is nothing on air quality in the oil sands and nothing on global warming. The only thing the previous government did for the oil sands is give them a big fat tax break.

When this government wanted to rescind it, that member of the NDP voted against it. I say shame on him and shame on the Liberal Party.

[The Environment, May 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, we are tremendously concerned about the effect on wildlife and the incident that took place outside of Fort McMurray.

Environment Canada officials and enforcement officers, together with the representatives from the Canadian Wildlife Service, are on the scene and are conducting an investigation. If charges are to be laid they will lay them.

We will bring those responsible for environmental crimes to justice. That is why we got such a big increase in the budget for environmental enforcement, an increase, I would remind the member, that he voted against.

[Health, May 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate this member on his interest, particularly in children's health. He is absolutely right. Once again Canada is taking real leadership with the strong efforts of the Minister of Health and the many scientists at Environment Canada and Health Canada. Canada is providing real leadership.

We were excited to see, south of the border, Senator Hillary Clinton announce that she would co-sponsor a bill to follow up the action of the Conservative government here in Canada. We are excited about this initiative and are looking forward to continuing to get the job done.

[World Food Crisis, April 30th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I can certainly tell the member opposite of the good work that my colleague, the Minister of International Cooperation, has done. Canada, as she said, is the second highest donor to the UN food agency.

In Canada, we also believe in new age biofuels where we can use agricultural waste and waste products to produce biofuels. It is an important part of the solution to address energy security and the environment.

[The Environment, April 29th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, we understand that the government of Manitoba was not successful in the American courts earlier today. We are committed to continue to work hard on this issue. It is something that is very important. We are working constructively with the Manitoba government, with the minister of water conservation. We are concerned that the previous agreement from the Liberal government did nothing to stop this from happening in the future and we are committed to find a better way.

[Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, April 28th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I say to the member from British Columbia who just spoke, thank goodness the bill is out of committee. I know the Conservative members were frustrated that it could not come out sooner.

I wonder if he would respond to the interesting suggestion levied by the Leader of the Opposition just yesterday. Apparently, gas taxes are not high enough for the Leader of the Opposition. He wants to raise gas taxes. Would the NDP member respond to that new Liberal proposal?

[The Environment, April 18th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the member for his genuine concern for the environment.

We are taking real action to try to address the challenges on the west cost. One of the first announcements we made, when I became Minister of the Environment, was the investment of $30 million in the Great Bear Rainforest. It is one of the largest coastal temperate rainforests in the world, with the Haida Gwaii islands and the coast of British Columbia.

We are also working to stop the dumping of raw sewage in the Pacific Ocean in Victoria. This is something that has been endorsed by the former Liberal environment minister, who now sits within the Liberal caucus, and the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca.

Days of dumping raw sewage in the Pacific Ocean are over under this government.

[The Environment, April 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, a spokesman for me? I have never met the man. I do not know the man.

What is very clear here is that all the Liberal Party has left is smear, slander and character assassination.

The member for Ottawa South has nothing better to do with his time than to make things up. The fact that he will not repeat any of these allegations outside the House of Commons speaks volumes of the character of the member for Ottawa South.

[The Environment, April 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Yesterday the member for Ottawa South said that I was the co-chair of the 2006 Conservative Party campaign. That, in fact, was not the case. I have never heard of Morten Paulsen, Barry Cooper or Douglas Leahy.

I did attend a dinner by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association and I am told that two people from the group in question attended. I do not recall ever seeing them.

[Minister of the Environment, April 16th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party of Canada is intellectually bankrupt. The Liberals have no policies for this country. They have no vision. They are providing no leadership and no agenda for the future.

Those of us on this side of the House are working to improve health care, build a strong economy, fight crime and we are getting the job done. That is why they support us each and every day to allow us to stay in government.