Paul Lefebvre

[Committees of the House, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question, and would also like to congratulate her on her new appointment.

Clearly, our natural resources are an extremely important economic engine for Canada. Canadians must know that, with respect to our energy resources, 99% of oil is sold directly to the United States. They dictate the price.

At the same time, it is a very important economic issue that impacts middle-class jobs. Moreover, it is a sector that employs many of this region's indigenous people. It is an economic issue for first nations and for the general population. There will be major economic benefits.

The Conservatives' approach consists of issuing gag orders and forcing the issue. The New Democrats' approach is to do nothing and to leave natural resources in the ground starting with oil and gas, and then lumber and minerals. We do not know what their plan is because they do not have one.

We want to ensure that we strike a balance between the economy and environmental protection. We want Canada to regain its position and to become one of the world's leading energy producers once again.

[Committees of the House, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the member talked about what has changed in the past years. Actually, in Canada there are over 500,000 new full-time jobs that have been created, however, I recognize that in Alberta the sector is not as active as it was in the past. At the same time, the price of oil went from $100 a barrel to $30 a barrel. I know the Conservatives would like us to be the ones that changed this because we are Liberals, but that is not how the economy works. That is not how the markets work.

We need to have new markets. We need to diversify where our resources are being sold. Under the Conservatives, we had one client and that was the United States and 99% of the oil produced in this country was being sent to the United States and then sold back to us. At the end of the day, we were losing billions of dollars. Both parties agree that we need to do something. The opposition members just want to ram it through. We want to get it right because on future projects we want to make sure that there is a reliable system, that we can be respectful of our indigenous communities and at the same time respect the environment and make sure that we get it right.

[Committees of the House, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, we are making sure that we proceed in the right way, as the Federal Court of Appeal has instructed us to do.

What the Conservatives have proposed today is to ignore the Federal Court of Appeal decision, to basically legislate around it, ignore the consultations with first nations, ignore the environmental concerns that were raised by the Federal Court of Appeal, and do what they had done in the past, which was to dictate with a heavy hand how we can bring our resources to new markets. The Conservatives did not build one pipeline to new markets in 10 years. They never got it right. They ignored the environment. They ignored the first nations.

We are going to follow the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal. We respect the courts. We will make sure we engage meaningfully with first nations and that we are protecting the environment at the same time.

[Committees of the House, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to consulting with our first nations across the country with respect to important projects, it is clear that the Federal Court of Appeal decision has indicated that, on the one hand, we have done more consulting with first nations than ever before, but at the same time more can be done with respect to making sure that when accommodations can be made, they should be made.

I can tell my colleague that as we review the Federal Court of Appeal decision, we know that we cannot use the same process that has been used in the past by the Conservative government, and that we need to do better. That is what the Federal Court of Appeal has told us. That is why we are now in discussions with the first nations communities that would be affected by this pipeline as to how we can really move forward on a nation-to-nation basis. Rather than tell them that these are the rules of engagement, we want to hear from them on how we can have that dialogue together on a nation-to-nation basis, not just a direct basis. That is new. That has never really happened before in Canada. This is what we are embarking upon. That is basically what the Federal Court of Appeal has told us.

We respect the court's decisions, as opposed to other parties in this House. We will make sure that we get it right. We will take the time to get it right to make sure that we are going in the right direction.

[Committees of the House, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be speaking in today's debate in my new role as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources.

I am honoured by the trust that the Prime Minister has put in me. I am well aware that I have been entrusted with a critical portfolio. The member for Northumberland—Peterborough South set the bar very high.

I have learned some valuable lessons in my years representing the people of Sudbury. Thanks to them, I have a better understanding of the importance of natural resource development, the importance of doing things right, and the importance of making sure that everyone wins, including proponents, local communities and indigenous peoples, in the spirit of creating jobs while protecting the environment. The House committee came to the same conclusion two years ago in its report entitled “The Future of Canada's Oil and Gas Sector: Innovation, Sustainable Solutions and Economic Opportunities”.

I have always suspected that some people were a bit slow to grasp the importance of harmonizing environmental protection and economic prosperity. All the same, it is astonishing that we are only now debating a report that was released by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources a full two years ago.

I want to take a moment to refresh the memories of those who may have forgotten what that report said and remind them of what our government has achieved.

The committee explored the future of Canada's oil and gas sectors by focusing on innovation, sustainable solutions and economic opportunities. After holding seven days of meetings and hearing from 33 witnesses, the committee produced its report, which contained a number of recommendations. Among other things, the report recommended that our government continue to support the viability and competitiveness of Canada's oil and gas sectors, foster investment and trade opportunities, promote a new era of indigenous engagement and public trust, establish a carbon pricing system, invest in technological innovation and establish the right policy framework.

Our government approved that report and we are responding to each of its recommendations.

Through Natural Resources Canada, we are investing in research and the demonstration of innovative technologies, including those aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Two specific initiatives are worth noting: first, the $50-million oil and gas clean tech program, which is helping to reduce the sector's greenhouse gas emissions; and second, the $25-million clean energy innovation program, which seeks to reduce emissions in a number of areas, including methane and volatile organic compounds in the oil and gas industry. Future work will focus on enhancing the environmental and economic performance by significantly reducing methane emissions.

Through mission innovation, our government has committed to doubling our investment in energy technology research and development. More broadly, NRCan is working with Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance and other partners to maximize the innovative potential for the oil and gas sector.

As I mentioned, the committee report also calls on the government to rebuild public trust in resource development. Our government has done just that, including by restoring many lost environmental protections and introducing modern safeguards to the Fisheries Act and the Navigation Protection Act.

We announced a $1.5-billion oceans protection plan, the largest investment in Canada's coasts and oceans in our history.

We have introduced Bill C-69, the most comprehensive overhaul of the environmental review process in a generation.

The Prime Minister has said many times that no relationship is more important to our government than the one with indigenous peoples. In particular, we recognize that consultation with indigenous communities affected by resource projects is critical to renewing a nation-to-nation relationship. That is why, with respect to the Trans Mountain expansion project, we extended the timeline to allow for deeper, more meaningful engagement.

When concerns were expressed, we responded by committing nearly $65 million to establish an indigenous advisory and monitoring committee that would oversee environmental aspects through the entire life of that project. This was unprecedented. As Chief Ernie Crey of the Cheam First Nation said, “Indigenous people won't be on the outside looking in. We'll be at the table and on site to protect our lands and water.”

That said, we know that when it comes to indigenous engagement, a higher bar must still be met. Our government will be announcing how we intend to meet that bar in the coming days.

Finally, the committee recommended that we establish the right policy framework to ensure a competitive oil and gas industry. We agree, which is why we are continuing to work towards a Canadian energy strategy together with our indigenous, provincial and territorial colleagues. It is why, through the Vancouver declaration, Canada's first ministers committed to working on carbon sinks and other measures under the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change.

That is why we have done what 42 other countries and 25 subnational jurisdictions have done: put a price on pollution. It is something the United Nations has called a necessary and effective measure to tackle the climate change challenge.

Taken together, our actions constitute an unprecedented level of support for the oil and gas industry, all while demonstrating that economic development and environmental prosperity can indeed go hand in hand.

The opposition issued a dissenting report and I will address it directly.

The report calls, among other things, for clear timelines for assessments. I suggest that members opposite read Bill C-69, which provides predictable timelines and clear expectations. This would allow proponents to better plan and engage earlier, leading to stronger proposals and greater certainty. The opposition's report also recommends that we encourage our national regulators to “make evidence-based decisions independent of government politicization”.

This concern for evidence-based decision-making is a welcome change of pace in Canada.

I can guarantee my opposition colleagues that we truly value science, facts and evidence. I am also pleased to mention that the dissenting report calls on the government “to publicly and unequivocally support strategic energy infrastructure approved by the national regulators”. Of course, that is exactly what we did by approving the Line 3 replacement project.

Finally, the report calls on the government to promote Canada's regulatory framework by instilling “public confidence in our national regulators”. We agree, which is why we built on the work of the National Energy Board to create a modern, world-class regulatory body for the 21st century, an organization that has the independence and accountability needed to oversee a solid, safe and viable energy sector, an organization that includes new public engagement and indigenous reconciliation processes, all while ensuring that good projects get the green light.

I will conclude by saying that I am always happy to talk about everything our government is doing for the oil and gas industry. We know that it is a vital contributor to our economy and an important part of our future. The fact is that the recommendations in this report are already being implemented. Our government will continue to look forward, towards a very bright future for our oil and gas industry and towards the prosperity it will help ensure for all Canadians.

[Natural Resources, September 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, it is so interesting to hear from the Bloc Québécois members who, a bit like the NDP, want nothing to do with building pipelines in Canada. Then there are the Conservatives who do not care about the environment or our obligations towards indigenous peoples.

As far as energy east is concerned, as I said, the process is in place. It is up to TransCanada to decide whether it wants to invest. It withdrew its investment and that is a business decision on their part.

[Natural Resources, September 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about 10 years of inaction under the previous government. By failing to build new pipelines, the Conservatives got zero Canadian resources to new markets, costing Canadians billions of dollars a year. At a time when 99% of our energy exports are going to one market, we need to expand our markets.

The previous government failed Albertans, failed indigenous peoples, failed to protect the environment and failed to get our resources to new markets. We will not be taking their advice.

[Natural Resources, September 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives expect to use their same old ways and get a different result. The court has been clear and we will follow the path forward that the court has provided to us.

We need to be sure that we consult with first nations and that the oceans marine protection plan is properly put in place, and address with the NEB all of the shortcomings and move forward.

[Natural Resources, September 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years the Conservatives could not get one pipeline built to new markets.

We must have a plan that addresses the concerns raised by the court of appeal. We need to make sure that the issues that have been raised are properly addressed. We will take the time and put the resources in place to make sure that we get this right.

[Natural Resources, September 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, at a time when 99% of our energy exports are to one market alone, the United States, Canadians realize that we need to expand our markets. That is why we have confidence in this project, but we must move forward in the right way. We must take the time to properly assess all of our obligations to move this project forward in the right way.

We will not take lessons from the Conservatives, who still believe that consulting indigenous people is a suggestion and not a legal obligation. The majority of that caucus still believe that climate change does not even exist to this day.