Explosives Act  It is also interesting that the areas in which the government has moved in natural resources have stuck very closely to the demands we made during the last campaign. For example, we warned against the idea that if we are not careful we could have a carbon tax in the country. The carbon tax did not come to fruition in the last budget, and I am not sure why. This was positive for the industry. The minister has also taken steps to sell off the government's share of Petro-Canada, which is something we have been calling for, for some years.

The Environment  The Government of Canada has stressed no unreasonable share of the burden for any region or sector, no carbon tax, deeper commitments by the private sector, greater energy efficiency, more renewable and alternative sources of energy, a powerful focus on research and development and the maximum use of international flexibility provisions.

The Environment  The media went to sleep on it. The opposition has not collectively raised the issue except on the carbon tax issue. The government has barely taken any leadership on it. That is the political rhetoric of it. As an individual and as an aboriginal person, my learnings and my world view— If we look at the future and we look at the seven generations to come, our present emissions that we are having today outside in this world will have an effect seven generations from now.

The Environment  As the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party just said a few moments ago, we have plenty of carbon taxes already imposed on gasoline at the present time. It is very difficult to deal with gladiators who are ignorant and we have too many in this House of Commons. Speakers after the leaders of the various parties have only 10 minutes to deal with uninformed, ignorant and distorted information as was done tonight, unfortunately, by the leader of the Reform Party, thus contributing really nothing to the substance, to the search for answers on this extremely complex issue that is engaging the minds of scientists, of politicians of course, of decision makers and of governments around the world.

The Environment  The private sector, the provinces and territories, a broad range of other stakeholders, indeed all Canadians have been invited to work closely with us to build together a sound and sensible implementation plan for the Kyoto agreement. The Prime Minister has repeatedly reaffirmed that we are not interested in a carbon tax. We are not interested in seeing any province or region or sector bearing a disproportionate burden. However, we are keenly interested in greater energy efficiency for vehicles, homes, buildings and industrial processes.

The Environment  Speaker, I do not really know how to respond to that somewhat disjointed and incoherent speech by the hon. member, except to say that when I go home to my constituency what I will tell the people I represent is that I am opposed to increased taxes on fuel, increased taxes not only on fuel for their automobiles but on fuel for heating their homes. I am also opposed to a carbon tax which would cripple the petroleum industry and kill employment in the region of the country which I represent. I would like to see taxes scaled back. The last thing I want to see this country do is impose a 30 cent or 40 cent tax on gasoline.

The Environment  Speaker, my question is for the prime minister. At a $350 a plate dinner last night the prime minister nixed carbon taxes as a way to reduce greenhouse gases. Unfortunately dinner goers and Canadians alike still did not get their money's worth. We still do not know what positive position the government will put forward at Kyoto.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, there is a difference between carbon taxes and gasoline taxes. My question was not that difficult. Either the prime minister knows how he is going to pay for this Kyoto deal and he is keeping it as a Christmas present for Canadians or he does not know.

Environment  First the Minister of the Environment talks vaguely about targets. Then the Minister of Natural Resources hints at carbon taxes. Now perhaps the Prime Minister is finally ready to perform. When will the Liberals stop dancing around this issue and show some leadership? When will the Prime Minister let Canadians know what Canada's position on the climate change crisis will be at Kyoto?

The Environment  Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Justice told the House the Liberals would not bring in a carbon tax, but she specifically failed to rule out other taxes on the energy industry, taxes that would devastate Canada's resource industries and the thousands of families that relied on it for their livelihood.

The Environment  Canadians have to be told where those moneys are going to come from. Are they going to come from fuel taxes? Are they going to come from carbon taxes? Are they going to come from other taxes? Or are they going to come from all of the above? Which Canadians are going to have to pay for the Kyoto deal and how much will they pay?

Environment  The government's fondness for spending taxpayers' money has incited fear that it may impose a carbon tax. The oil and gas sector will have to try to survive anything decided in Kyoto. Could the environment minister tell us why the Canadian petroleum producers have not been invited to Kyoto?

Carbon Tax  Is the government planning to impose a carbon tax? Yes or no.

Carbon Tax  Speaker, I do not think the hon. member has been listening over the last little while. The only place I have heard a carbon tax mentioned is on the Reform Party. We have never mentioned a carbon tax. We are not in the business of doing that. It seems the Reform Party is.

The Budget  Would he keep that? We eliminated it and we are very proud that we did. He talks about a carbon tax. He was the first person to raise the carbon tax. It is part of an ongoing study set up by the previous government which we are continuing, but he is the person who raised the carbon tax.