Rona Ambrose

[The Environment, June 8th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, while the opposition plays politics with Kyoto, this government is actually cleaning up the air that Canadians breathe.

We do have support from the Clean Air Foundation which said yesterday that they are encouraged by our government's announcement on mercury, that it is an essential step to protecting people and the environment from an unnecessary exposure to this dangerous toxic substance.

Yesterday we announced a pollution prevention plan that will take 10 tonnes of mercury out of the air. This is something the Liberals sat on for years. Our government is acting in the best interests and the health of Canadians.

[The Environment, June 5th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, he is back on his personal agenda. I would advise him that maybe he might take a lesson from a more constructive NDPer, the premier of Manitoba, Gary Doer, who is working very constructively with this government. He says that this national government wants a made in Canada plan on climate change. We are saying that we are ready, willing and able to work on tangible plans to make a difference for Canada.

[The Environment, June 5th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley and his personal agenda and conferences, he is the environment critic for the NDP who was hosted by the Canadian delegation in Bonn. They made him feel comfortable and gave him all the information he needed. He spent a day there, flew back to Canada and then held a press conference where he told Canadians that, “All I did there was fight with Environment Canada officials”.

I would like to ask him what he accomplished at the conference.

[The Environment, June 5th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the only party in this House that destroyed our international credibility and any hope of having a domestic plan was the Liberal Party for not having the courage to address this issue over a decade ago.

We have been working diligently with the provinces. We are working with industry and environmental groups to bring forward a long term comprehensive inclusive plan that addresses Canada's environment.

[The Environment, June 5th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the conference and party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we are working diligently. Since being appointed, we have and we will continue to bring the world together in a consensus to move forward post-2012.

It is no surprise that municipalities and provinces want to take action on greenhouse gas reductions. We are with them every step of the way.

[The Environment, June 5th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, this government is not going to backtrack and focus on a plan that the Liberals put in place that we know will not work. We know that the money they put in place could never have covered the cost of a plan that would never have seen any greenhouse gas emission reductions.

We are putting a plan in place that is forward looking, that has the support of the United Nations, the support of our international partners, and the support of Canadians.

[The Environment, June 5th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, first we had the Liberal Party of Canada that had no plan on Kyoto. Now we have a coalition between the Bloc and the Parti Québécois that want to divide the country on Kyoto.

This government is focused on a national plan, a plan that is good for all regions of this country, all provinces, all municipalities. It is a made in Canada solution.

[The Environment, June 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it was this Prime Minister who agreed to open up the Canadian Environmental Protection Act for review by the environment committee which the Liberals held off doing for over a year. This is the act that environmental groups want to see amendments brought forward on to ensure we address these important issues. It is actually the NDP members who are collaborating with the Liberals to hold up that review in committee.

[The Environment, June 1st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that this government will not continue on with the Liberal practice.

My office has been working closely with Dr. Rick Smith from Environmental Defence. The House might be interested to know that the Minister of Health and myself have offered to participate in a study to raise the profile of the toxins in our children's blood and to take some measures to address those.

[The Environment, May 31st, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the only party that abandoned the Kyoto protocol is the Liberal Party of Canada. It never put a plan in place, it never took any measures to reduce greenhouse gases to reach the target and now it is criticizing a partnership that includes four of our Kyoto partners in that partnership.

The hon. member might like to know that the former environment minister for the Liberal Party actually looked for membership in Asia-Pacific but, guess what, the party was not welcome.