Rona Ambrose

[The Environment, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for being appointed as environment critic and for endorsing our Conservative policy on transit passes.

However, I would like to point out to the hon. member that I am concerned about Canada. I am concerned about the priorities of the Canadian environment. Canada differs greatly from the U.S. in terms of the kinds of circumstances we need to address right here at home. I know he is obsessed with what the U.S. is doing, but I am focused on what Canada is doing to move forward.

[The Environment, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I am not concerned with what is going on in the U.S. Congress--

[The Environment, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that the Liberals did not do anything on Asia-Pacific and they did not do anything on Kyoto. Within the first 100 days, we have already done more than the Liberals did in 13 years.

We already have set a national target of 5% content in biofuels so Canadians can burn cleaner gas. We made the largest investment in public transportation in Canadian history and we want those buses burning clean biodiesel. On July 1, Canadians will be able to get almost two months of free public transit through our transit pass tax incentive. On June 1, we are setting in place regulations to reduce sulphur in diesel.

That is cleaning up the environment.

[The Environment, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting how the Liberals love to change the channel because they do not want to face the facts. They do not even know where they stand on Kyoto. They had a Liberal environment critic who was anti-Kyoto, but they switched him for a new Liberal environment critic, whom I would like to thank for endorsing, on his first day, Conservative policies for transit. The member for Don Valley West said that when we encouraged people to take public transit, we also reduced greenhouse gases. That is exactly what this government is doing.

[The Environment, May 30th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, it is all clear to Canadians now and particularly to Quebeckers, that the Liberal Party of Canada failed Quebeckers when it came to the environment. The Liberals failed Canadians when it came to their commitment to our international friends in setting targets under Kyoto. They failed in putting forward any implementation plan to actually reach those targets.

We have made the largest investment in Canadian history in public transportation. Quebeckers need that to ensure we can reduce greenhouse gases in Quebec.

[The Environment, May 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the environment, the only thing our government will cut is greenhouse gases.

The Liberals failed Canadians when it came to the environment. They failed the provinces when it came to the environment and they definitely failed Quebecers when it came to the environment.

We will work with Quebec in the area with which it needs most help in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. That is in transportation, which is why we have made a huge investment in public transportation in Quebec and that will show real results on reductions in Quebec.

[The Environment, May 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the only government that did not support any action to actually implement Kyoto or get anywhere close to our Kyoto targets was the previous Liberal government.

Our government went to Bonn. We have made it possible for Canada to stay at the table and put forward a practical, flexible alternative that is realistic and will show real results for Canadians and real reductions in greenhouse gases.

[The Environment, May 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, let us remember how we got into this mess. The Liberal Party of Canada signed the Kyoto accord and then spent years without a plan for implementation and without any action to actually meet those targets.

In regard to our submissions to the United Nations, they are posted publicly. They were posted before I left for Bonn. They were always on the website. If the member needs some help using the Internet, I would be happy to help him with it.

[The Environment, May 29th, 2006]

Let me just point out, Mr. Speaker, that the hon. member actually might like to read what his party and the former government were going to put in place. They actually did not have a hard cap and targets in the so-called green plan or what they are calling the dream plan. I will call it the pipe-dream plan, and I am really glad the Conservatives were elected so we can make sure that pipe-dream plan goes up in smoke.

[The Environment, May 29th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the preliminary findings of that report show that the Liberal Party of Canada failed Canada's environment. It failed Canadians and it failed to bring forward any sort of implementation plan that would actually show real reductions in greenhouse gases.

Worse yet, we thought it would cost $5 billion in overseas credits but the preliminary report shows that it could have cost up to $12 billion a year. Most of that money would have been spent overseas.

Our government refuses to spend that money overseas. We will invest it right here at home.