House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
Science and Technology March 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Canadians can be proud of the scientists who work at Environment Canada and departments across our government and the work that they present in journals and studies and in the media at large.
The reputation of Nature, as a pre-eminent scientific journal, is regularly enhanced by the fine work of our scientists carried in its pages.
The Environment March 5th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, budget 2011 did provide $35 million over five years to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, know by its acronym NSERC, to support climate change and atmospheric research at Canadian post-secondary institutions. This arm's-length body will determine where these scientific research projects will go over those five years in dispensing the $35 million.
The Environment March 5th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Dr. Wicklum is on leave without pay. He is subject to the values and the ethics code for the public service and this code is clear on the measures to be taken by public servants to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest.
Dr. Wicklum's assignment agreement stipulates that he cannot provide information to COSIA or its members that relies on information that is not publicly available.
The Environment March 5th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Dan Wicklum, the previous director general of Environment Canada's Water Sciences and Technology Directorate, is on temporary assignment, unpaid leave, as the chief executive of Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance. We anticipate his assignment will bring new opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the Government of Canada and oil sands industry.
While on assignment, he is subject to the rules of ethics and conflict of—
Government Priorities March 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, again, my hon. colleague does not seem to understand the estimates. I would invite her to come to the environment committee on the 13th of this month when I will be available to explain all of the detail.
Government Priorities March 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the premise of the question is false.
Either the member does not understand or cannot read the main estimates, or is being somewhat disingenuous in her question.
The differences in funding in the estimates are a result of programs that are sunsetting, in other words, coming to a predetermined end. Some of these programs will be renewed, of course. Others will be reshaped to better serve Canadians in the future.
The government is committed to environmental protection and to protecting jobs and the economy.
The Environment February 28th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Environment Canada recognizes the importance of university atmospheric research in the Arctic and has provided partial funding, along with a number of other bodies, since 2009 for the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory.
However, the university research application to those other bodies for renewed funding, with support from Environment Canada, was not successful at the recent national centres of excellence competition. That said, Environment Canada will continue to monitor ozone and the atmosphere at Eureka.
The Environment February 27th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, my department appreciates the interest of Canadians and journalists in the environmental science that is done on their behalf. Canadians can indeed be proud of the many international papers and reports that are published and of the many hundreds, more than 1,000 interviews given.
However, I would remind my colleague that the scientists are enabled to speak on the scientific work that they do, but our government speaks with regard to the policy.
The Environment February 15th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, the entire world, or most of the world, recognized that the Kyoto protocol was not working, and a post-Kyoto climate change agreement needs to be created.
Canada is working with other countries. We began with the Durban platform in December and we will work through this year to create a new climate change regime that includes all major emitters, including China, India and Brazil.
The Environment February 15th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Kyoto protocol is not working. Canada is standing tall.
We announced that we would legally withdraw from the protocol under article 27 and spare Canadians spending billions of wasted tax dollars in compliance fees visited on this country by the previous Liberal government.
We are working for a post-Kyoto climate change regime that would include all major emitters.