John Baird

[The Environment, April 1st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, committees of the House act on their own accord. My role as Minister of the Environment is to clean up the legacy of inaction left to us by the previous government.

We are working hard with a plan to reduce in absolute terms our greenhouse gases by 20%. That is something that has never happened in this country. We have only seen greenhouse gases go up. Even the deputy leader of the Liberal Party told his leader that he did not get the job done. We are acting and we are getting the job done.

[The Environment, March 31st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, we are no longer talking about climate change and global warming: we are taking real action to reduce global emissions here in Canada and abroad. We are going to be regulating all large industry in Canada, including the oil sands and dirty coal. If the member opposite could do one thing, it would be to talk to his kid brother and get him to fulfill his campaign promises.

We are now in a post-Kyoto era and new climate change solutions are necessary: those are not my words but the words of the member for Vancouver Quadra.

[The Environment, March 31st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, this government is taking real action to fight global warming. We are cutting our emissions in Canada by an absolute 20% reduction and finally turning around the growing trend of rising emissions that was the hallmark of the previous Liberal regime. Liberals know no shame. That is not my quote. In reading the House of Commons Debates, I read a great quote that I would like to share with the House:

Nothing embarrasses the Liberals because they do not know the meaning of shame. They are without shame; they are shameless.

Do members know who said that? The member for Toronto Centre.

[The Environment, March 31st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, this government is taking action. We are working very hard to reduce greenhouse gases.

What the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie is saying is interesting. I read the newspaper today and that member said, “there are activists who think that our approach can contribute to a renewed federalism.” But of course, that party's approach is to challenge the actions of this government.

We are taking action. We are finding real solutions to reduce greenhouse gases. This is something that has not happened since the Bloc was created 18 years ago.

[The Environment, March 31st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to work hard to reduce greenhouse gases. It is unacceptable that in the last 10 years, overall greenhouse gas emissions have increased in Canada and throughout the world. We were prepared to take action, and we have regulated large corporations.

We are not prepared to wait for a day when temperatures will have increased by 2^oC. We are taking action now.

[Business of Supply, March 31st, 2008]

Here's what Bob Rae said about Paul Martin. I have it right here.

[The Environment, March 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, if we receive a bill, I will send it to the Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party.

[The Environment, March 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that this government has taken action. We have met expectations by giving $350 million to Quebec to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

That is very important. This is the first time that a federal government has worked with the provinces. The Bloc Québécois will be taken to task for its powerlessness and inconsistency, since Quebec is growing stronger under our government.

[The Environment, March 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear. With respect to oil sands and existing facilities, regulations already existed for this part of our industry. We have established stricter measures for those under construction and for new facilities. We have introduced a real plan for reducing greenhouse gases.

It is very important. For the first time in Canadian history, real measures have been introduced and we have taken action to obtain real results.

[The Environment, March 11th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley.

The Conservative government finally has begun to get rid of the tax subsidies given to the oil sands by our friends opposite in the Liberal Party. We are taking real action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an absolute 20%. That will put Canada in a leadership position. We will do more in the next 12 years than virtually any country in the world.

While we may not have the full support and enthusiasm of the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley, we have the full support of the Liberal Party of Canada.