House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 45% of the vote.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, if we are going to act, we need to act in concert. Leadership means going first. That is why Canada is prepared to accept national binding targets.
If we are to be successful globally in fighting greenhouse gas emissions, that is not enough. We need countries such as the United States, China and India to accept binding targets, just as Canada is prepared to do.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly the point. The planet will continue to get dangerously warmer if we continue in the trajectory that we are on. If we want to reduce in absolute terms the greenhouse gases in this world, the developed world and rich countries such as Canada have to lead by example, but we also need big countries such as China and India on board.
That is why we are going to work constructively to bring these countries on board so that we can make meaningful progress in the fight against climate change. Aspirational goals do not cut it. We need solid targets by all major emitters.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, this government is working to try to see a successful next round of negotiations at Bali. We want to see a regime that would have binding targets on all the big countries. Canada is responsible for 2%, well beyond our share on a per capita basis, and we are prepared to go first to provide real leadership.
We have set aggressive targets, but we also want to get countries such as the United States, China and India on board. I am also going to work hard to get the premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty, on board, because we want to help him close all those coal-fired plants, as he promised to by this year.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago in December, the world gathered in Japan to sign the Kyoto protocol. That protocol required countries right across the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it did one thing badly. It left out 70% of countries with greenhouse gas emissions.
That is why we need to get everyone on board. We need to get the big countries such as China, India and the United States on board, but it is also important that Canada begin to act. That is why this government is moving forward with an aggressive plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions, something that has been absent for the last 10 years.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Great Britain, Germany and France began to take action ten years ago. Here in Canada, with the Liberal Party and the Bloc Québécois in Ottawa, emissions increased by 33% over the Kyoto targets.
That is why the time to act is now. All the big countries, such as the European nations, China, India and Canada, must take action, and that is why we are working hard on this very important file.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, that is not the case at all. Some countries think it is a good idea for just four of the 50 Commonwealth countries to act. That is not our position. We think that all big countries should take action—that everyone should take action—to solve this serious problem and fight climate change. All the big countries must do their part.
Here in Canada, we are ready to do our part. We will take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I can see that the Liberal Party knows a lot about rising greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
Let us look at what The Globe and Mail said on November 23: “any regime that would impose binding targets only on some emitters, and specifically exclude other major emitters, would fall well short of the international response that is urgently needed”.
This is a crisis of environmental and world proportions. We need all hands on deck. We need all countries to accept binding targets so we can get the job done for our planet, something that this government has committed to do.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that every major country take the real figures and take real action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For 10 long years after the Kyoto protocol was signed, Canada did absolutely nothing while the Liberal Party was in power. The time has come to stop talking and to start doing.
That is why this government is going to regulate the major industries. That is why this government is taking action in many areas. That is something we did not see in 13 long years.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, that leader had his chance and now he sits back on the opposition benches and wonders what might have been.
We are not prepared to allow the big emitters, the big polluters like the United States, China and India, to get off the hook. We need all the big emitters on board, everyone with an oar in the water rowing together.
The reality is he had his chance to stand up for the environment. The House of Commons gave this government a mandate and that member, as usual, was sitting on his hands.
The Environment November 26th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, much more than making good decisions, we have to take action. The previous government never did anything to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our government thinks this is very important.
Any agreement on fighting climate change has to include targets for everyone, especially large countries such as the United States, China and India. Why? Because the leader of the opposition never did anything to fight climate change. He owes everyone an explanation.