44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 4, 2022 11:00AM
- Apr/4/22 2:30:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I was having problems hearing my own voice.
Our plan is such a good plan that organizations such as Greenpeace, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Apr/4/22 2:54:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, according to this morning's IPCC report, we have three years to save the planet. Our greenhouse gas emissions must peak within the next three years and then fall by 48% by 2030.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change tabled a plan last week, but despite his promises to the contrary, it contains no targets for peak fossil fuel production or emissions.
We have three years to act, but the minister's plan is holding us back. Given the urgency of the situation, will the minister go back to the drawing board?
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- Apr/4/22 2:55:13 p.m.
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Order. The minister is about to quote something from the plan. It is not appropriate for members to intervene during his answer.
The hon. minister.
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- Apr/4/22 2:55:21 p.m.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I was saying, on page 90 of the plan, it says that the oil and gas sector could reduce emissions by 80 million tonnes. That is the most ambitious target of any sector. It would be like cutting all of Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions combined.
Our plan is serious, it is solid, and it will enable us to meet our targets.
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- Apr/4/22 3:07:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, across Canada, declining habitat and years of poor management have put Canada's fish stocks at risk. Coastal communities and workers are feeling these impacts first-hand. They want to be a part of the solution to protect our marine ecosystems, but they are being left behind by a lack of support by the government.
Instead of fighting with workers trying to make ends meet, will the minister confirm that a fair transition plan for workers across Canada's fishing industries will be part of the budget?
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- Apr/4/22 6:48:23 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, as the member knows, just last week we released our 2030 emissions reduction plan. It is one that sets out a very ambitious and achievable sector-by-sector approach to get us there. The plan builds on actions that have already been taken by many to reduce our carbon footprint, including by indigenous peoples, businesses, provincial and territorial governments, municipalities, civil society and many Canadians across the country.
I want to point out to the member that, as she already knows, our emissions reduction plan builds on existing initiatives. It includes a robust price on carbon pollution, a ban on unabated domestic coal-fired electricity by 2030 and an upcoming clean fuel standard. Last week's plan includes more than $9 billion in new investments to cut pollution and grow our economy. Among them are measures to make it easier for Canadians to switch to electric vehicles, to green our homes and buildings, and to help industries adopt the clean tech solutions to make our energy grid even cleaner. There are also many other initiatives.
I believe the member opposite knows that the global clean energy transition cannot happen overnight, but neither should Canadians or people around the globe drag our heels on this. We cannot just end oil and gas production with a snap of our fingers without risking energy security, here and around the world. We also recognize that the energy sector has the know-how, the skills and the financial clout to bring about clean technology through breakthroughs that we have been able to see thus far. Many others have already been targeted.
That is why we need to maximize the value of our resources, which is one of the reasons we remain committed to the Trans Mountain expansion project. TMX is creating thousands of good-paying jobs right now. Once operational, it will unlock new global markets. This will generate billions of dollars in new revenues to fund clean energy solutions, which is a goal we all want to get to. It is also creating additional investments and job opportunities for many indigenous people and many companies within Canada; therefore, it is advancing our government's commitment to reconciliation as well. I want to stress that TMX will not undermine our climate change efforts or our ability to reach the targets that we have set and committed to.
As the member acknowledged in her speech, the project's price has risen. This is the result of project enhancements, safety and security requirements, construction delays that were caused by COVID-19 and B.C.'s extreme weather events last summer, as well as new financial costs. It is not just one thing that has contributed to this; it is a whole gamut of factors that have led to this increase.
The project is now half-built. Trans Mountain Corporation will seek third-party funding if it needs further funds to complete the project. I know the member understands this. I share her passion and desire to see things move more rapidly on climate change, but there is a process to get there so that Canadians can all be a part of that exciting change in a way that we can manage sustainability within our country.
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