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House Hansard - 11

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 6, 2021 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 11 - Dec/6/21
Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)
  • Dec/6/21 7:02:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I beg to differ on many of the assumptions that the member has made, but I will speak specifically to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies. I will say to this House and to the member that Canada remains committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, as was committed to by G20 countries in Pittsburgh in 2009, and that we committed to do so two years earlier than our G20 partners. These countries had committed to do this by 2025, and we will be doing this by 2023. To support Canada's efforts to fulfill its commitment, we have committed to undergo a peer review of those subsidies under the G20 process. Argentina will be doing that on behalf of Canada. Once the process is completed, the results will be communicated in a transparent and timely manner. Canada has already made significant progress towards meeting its commitment to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. Since 2007, the government has taken action to phase out eight tax measures supporting the fossil fuel sector. However, beyond Canada's commitment to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, the government also believes that creating good, well-paying jobs in the low-carbon economy and ensuring that workers have the right tools and skills essential to building a sustainable and prosperous future for Canada is a priority. Simply put, we cannot achieve climate action and the transition to a low-carbon economy without putting people first. To empower workers and communities through the transition, we must address the immediate challenges of jobs and economic growth in ways that establish the foundation for long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Government of Canada is delivering on this commitment by continuing to support workers and communities impacted by the phase-out of coal, and we are launching engagement on just transition legislation to ensure that workers and communities will thrive in a carbon-constrained world. We are also making significant investment in skills training to ensure workers are able to succeed in the low-carbon economy. The measures detailed in budget 2021 are expected to deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians. Canada cannot reach net-zero emissions by 2050 without the participation, know-how and innovation ideas of all Canadians.
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Context: House Hansard - 11 - Dec/6/21
Hon. Steven Guilbeault
  • Dec/6/21 7:06:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, let me reassure the hon. member that the commitment of our government is to phase out fossil fuel subsidies that are aimed at increasing the production of said fossil fuels. Going forward, we will support every industrial sector, every sector of our economy, to decarbonize. We will be helping the cement sector, the aluminum sector and the auto sector. We will also be helping the oil and gas sector to decarbonize and reduce emissions so that Canada can reach its net-zero target and obviously our 2030 target.
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