Mark Warawa

[The Environment, October 19th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP is proposing a climate change bill that would devastate the economic recovery and force Canada to diverge from the very singular targets that our government and President Obama have identified.

The NDP, the Bloc and the Liberals just do not get it. They would have Canada move away from a North American target and isolate Canada continentaly.

Everyone agrees that a climate change plan must be done in partnership with our international trading partners and must include economic realities.

[Petitions, October 9th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, the second petition, again from constituents in my riding of beautiful Langley, says that it has been 40 years since May 14, 1969, when Parliament changed the law to permit abortion. Since January 28, 1988, Canada has no law to protect the lives of unborn children.

They call upon Parliament to pass legislation for the protection of human life from the time of conception until natural death.

[Petitions, October 9th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present from constituents in my riding of Langley.

The first one says that there are a number of severe, potentially life-threatening conditions that do not qualify for disability programs because they are not necessarily permanent or because of waiting lists for surgeries, which lengthen the recovery time. Residents find themselves losing their homes and livelihoods while trying to fight these severe medical conditions.

They are calling upon the House of Commons to adopt legislation to provide additional medical EI benefits to at least equal to maternity EI benefits for people who find themselves in the above situation.

[The Environment, October 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the member ignores the fact that climate change is a global issue. It needs to have a global approach. It has to have a harmonized approach.

That is why we have been working hard with our international partners. That is why the clean energy dialogue is ongoing. That is why we are preparing for a new climate change pact.

The member needs to get on board, and not support a carbon tax that is being supported and proposed by the Liberals.

[The Environment, October 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, this government is taking leadership and real action to fight climate change.

I ask that member to support the plan which is a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

The United States Senate is now looking at very similar targets, a 20% reduction by 2020. Our international partners are following our lead on fighting climate change.

The Bloc needs to support those programs.

[Bill C-311--Climate Change Accountability Act, October 8th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I listened intently to my colleague from the Bloc and I have a question for him.

He has listened to the same testimony that I have been listening to at committee. We have heard that Bill C-377, now Bill C-311, is no longer relevant. It actually is a bad bill that opposition members are trying to divide and make into two bad bills. It sets targets that were before the global economic recession, targets that would be harmful to the Canadian economy. That is why the NDP leader said that it should be costed. It has not been costed yet and yet we have the Bloc members supporting these random targets that are no longer relevant.

We have also heard from testimony today from science the importance of having a harmonized, continental approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is not possible to do it in isolation. He should well know that because climate change is not a Canada issue. it is a global issue.

Why would the member want to do something in isolation from what the rest of the world is doing? Why does he have a history of not supporting good environmental programs? Why has he voted against carbon capture and storage in this House? Why has he voted against renewable fuels?

Why do those members just talk the talk but never walk the walk?

[Bill C-311--Climate Change Accountability Act, October 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That this House proceed to orders of the day.

[Bill C-311--Climate Change Accountability Act, October 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it was the member's own leader who, in a previous Parliament, introduced Bill C-377 which is virtually the same bill. He recommended that the bill be costed.

We know that there would be a substantial cost to the Canadian economy if Bill C-311 were to go ahead. It was the same thing for Bill C-377 and her leader suggested that it be costed. The fact is it was that member who said to “abandon this bill. Get rid of this bill. It is no good from beginning to end. So I think that is a message that we need to consider very carefully. Unfortunately we could not offer what the costs were going to be. Do we have any idea what the costs would be? Has anyone tried to figure this out? I feel that the committee needs to do this before we blindly go ahead and adopt this very radical approach on something that we have no evidence that it is even going to work”.

It was that member who said that. It was not on this bill. It was on a bill that she disagreed with, but the principle is the same. Why would she not want to have a fulsome debate, find out what the cost would be, what her carbon tax bill would mean to the economy of Canada?

[Bill C-311--Climate Change Accountability Act, October 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, the hon. member has been sharing with the House details from an in camera meeting, for which she apologized yesterday. If her apology were sincere, she would not repeat what happened at an in camera meeting. It is quite inappropriate and unparliamentary.

[Petitions, October 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with health care.

The petitioners state that the parent or caregiver of a child who has a life-threatening or serious illness, like cancer, must take care of the child full time when the child falls ill and undergoes treatment for surgery.

Therefore, the petitioners call upon the House of Commons to enact legislation to provide additional benefits at least equal to maternity EI benefits to help parents or caregiver.