Lisa Raitt

[Forestry Industry, May 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in fact this government has acted very quickly. We have also acted very convincingly in how we are supporting the forestry industry.

I thank the member for the question, though, on this specific point, because I think it is important to discuss it in a clean manner. The subsidy to which the member is referring is one we are taking very seriously. In fact I have written to the secretary of energy, Mr. Chu, on the issue.

It is something that does cause us concern domestically in terms of our competitiveness, and we are taking a look at all the options available.

I offer my ability to speak with the member to keep him updated on the matter.

[AbitibiBowater, April 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that this government has been standing up for these kinds of workers and communities for a long time.

In 2008 we introduced a $1 billion community development trust and in the budget this year, we developed a further $1 billion community adjustment fund in order to help communities deal with the serious downturn that we are experiencing now.

[The Environment, April 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this government has acted very quickly with respect to the need to have clean energy in this country. In fact, we have set a very aggressive standard of having 90% non-emitting sources of electricity by 2020 and we are working very hard toward that.

Indeed, we have put a significant amount of money into having clean sources of energy and developing our renewables. That is what action is all about and we continue to do it.

[The Environment, April 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the ecoenergy renewable programs introduced by this government have been extremely successful in Canada, to the point where I can report today that in the province of Quebec alone, $290 million have flowed there, either with renewables, ecoETI biofuels or retrofits for homes.

[The Environment, April 22nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. This government has acted quickly and it acted years ago with respect to energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage and, most important, in terms of renewable energy. We have committed over $3.7 billion in renewable energy efforts since 2007. We will be adding 200,000 more homes with energy efficiency.

Canadians understand that these things are important and they are things that we are delivering to Canadians so we may deliver a cleaner brighter future.

[Forestry Industry, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not the case. In fact, I can quote Mr. Rick Jeffery, president and CEO of the Coast Forest Products Association, when he talks about the programs that this Conservative government has brought in to help the forestry industry. He said:

—the Canada wood export program, the wood-first policy, the value-to-wood program, and the forest innovation programs that were in the last budget. Those are all great programs. They help drive innovation; they help keep markets open; they help us produce new products and develop new markets; and they also allow us to promote our products in those markets.

[Forestry Industry, April 21st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite ironic that we have had these unprecedented public consultations across the country. We have listened to what the forestry industry wants. We have delivered. We have listened to what the communities are asking for. We have delivered.

Most important, perhaps when the Liberal leader meets with the people he says he is meeting with, maybe they should ask him what he plans on doing in raising taxes, which will really hurt the forestry industry and the communities.

[Forestry Industry, March 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of private woodlot owners here in the House yesterday and discuss their concerns. I can tell the House and the hon. member is that one thing is very clear. They do believe in the forest industry and they are grateful for the help and support that this government has been providing since 2007.

I am very pleased that they are appreciative of the fact that we are looking at innovation and marketing as a way to promote this industry and ensure that it is world-class when it is ready to go.

[Forestry Industry, March 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the hon. member has said, the government is actually taking action through the Canada economic action plan. We went across the country and spoke to those in the forestry industry and in the communities, and asked them what would be helpful.

We understand it has helped very much with innovation, marketing and indeed, financing, and that is what Canada's economic action plan delivers on. Furthermore, the government is about action, whereas the NDP is all about talk.

[Nuclear Energy, March 12th, 2009]

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to point out that this government actually did act. It acted in 2007, 2008, and again this year with a $1 billion clean energy fund.

Let me help the hon. members with what the content of the ecoenergy renewable program is, which is incentives for the production of power from emerging renewable energy sources such as wind, biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar photovoltaic and ocean energy.