House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
Oil and Gas Industry June 16th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, hydraulic fracturing is a rather old technique in terms of conventional oil production, but it is relatively new with regard to shale gas. Provincial and federal governments share in the responsibility of regulating the oil and gas sector. The regulation of shale gas is mainly a provincial and territorial responsibility, except on federal lands. Research is being conducted.
The Environment June 14th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the assumption of the question is absolutely false. We did report, in the document provided to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, precise acknowledgement that in 2009 the oil sands industry contributed precisely 6.5% of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
The Environment June 14th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, that is a gross miscalculation of reality. In fact, the report was accurate. In the year in question, 2009, Canada's greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 42 megatonnes, which was as result of the economic downturn.
In the separate report to comply with the Kyoto treaty reporting, we also very accurately reported the forecasts and the megatonne emissions.
The Environment June 9th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the assumption in the question is absolutely false.
The only way to achieve real reductions in global emissions is to have a treaty that covers all emitters. The Kyoto protocol fails to do that. Therefore, Canada will not be party to a target under a second commitment period under the Kyoto protocol.
The Cancun agreements based on Copenhagen, on the other hand, form a solid basis for an effective global post-2012 regime that will include all major emitters.
The Environment June 9th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the two reports are based on two different compilations of data. With regard to the inventory report to the United Nations framework convention on climate change, we reported that in 2009 the oil sands contributed 6.5% of Canada's total emissions. As reported, this fact is accurate.
The Environment June 8th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true.
We have a plan and that plan is working. Indeed, the emissions are getting heavier. What we will do to deal with that is to decouple the increase in emissions from the productivity and profitability of the various resource generation sectors.
We have a plan. We are a quarter of our way toward achieving our 2020 goals. We will meet those targets.
The Environment June 8th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that my colleague is expressing concern for a fine Alberta industry that creates so many jobs and generates such great wealth for the Canadian economy.
As my colleague knows full well, we have a plan and the plan is working. We addressed transportation emissions first. We moved on to the coal-fired electricity generating sector, and we are about to begin consultations with other heavy emitters, including the oil and gas sector.
The Environment June 6th, 2011
The short answer to that question, Mr. Speaker, is yes. We have a plan and I would advise my colleague to familiarize herself with it. She and all Canadians can visit the Environment Canada website to see how we began last year with the major emitting sector, transportation. We are about to address new regulations for coal-fired electricity generation. We will continue to work our way around the emitting sectors to meet our 2020 target.
The Environment June 6th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I again congratulate my hon. colleague on her appointment to the environment file.
We do have a plan and that plan is working. We have committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions sector by sector and that plan is working.
With regard to the Speech from the Throne, I think my colleague was somewhat literal in her expectations. We reiterated our commitment to reduce climate change emissions across the board.
The Environment June 6th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I would first offer a correction to my hon. colleague. We refer to the wealth of abundance in northern Alberta as “oil sands”.
With regard to the question, in our reporting of the 2008 emissions the department attempted to offer sectoral numbers. It did not work and they were not included.