44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 6, 2023 10:00AM
- Oct/6/23 10:11:34 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the former and now fired minister of immigration and failing Minister of Housing has finally found his new job, after he was defeated, as the minister of meteorology.
I really hope he can answer two questions. One, why has his government allowed tidal energy to fail in Nova Scotia? Is it because of their lack of direction? Two, could he please explain quotes from the member for Avalon? He said:
I think [the carbon tax is] hurting them a fair bit. Everywhere I go people come up to me and say, “We're losing faith in the Liberal Party.”
I've had people tell me they can’t afford to buy groceries. They can’t afford to heat their homes and that’s hard to hear from especially seniors who live alone and tell me that they go around their house in the spring and winter time with a blanket wrapped around them because they can't afford home heating fuel and they can't afford to buy beef or chicken.
Can the minister explain that?
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague opposite on his speech. His commitment to the environment is beyond any doubt.
As for Bill C-49, I have many questions.
As I read this bill, it struck me as a great way to conceal malicious intentions around oil and gas development.
Wind energy is great. Saying that we are going to produce green hydrogen is great. That is the positive side of the bill. However, is it not true that the bill sugar-coats a bitter pill?
The bill appears to promote wind energy, but is it not true that its real intention is to allow twice as much offshore oil and gas production and development down the road, as announced soon after this bill was introduced?
I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about the double-talk around this bill.
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- Oct/6/23 10:29:00 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am always concerned about where we are heading in this country and in our society, but I know we have to take those first steps in the right direction. We have listened to indigenous knowledge from indigenous elders and indigenous leaders; they have told us that we need to do more for our environment and that we need to look out for future generations. This is why I believe that the heart of this bill is looking at renewable energies, the power of hydrogen energy and what we can do to make sure we have a sustainable future for our children. While we know there are still fossil fuels that we burn and there are still cars out there being driven, we have to step in that direction, so that is what I remain committed to doing.
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- Oct/6/23 10:57:08 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think it will, because now we have support for alternative energy that we did not have in the past, which needs to be brought forth. That is part of how to actually move forward on these initiatives. It is a good, legitimate concern; there is no doubt. However, we need to actually move forward where there is consensus on clean energy.
For my region, there are still very much some big concerns that were expressed with regard to wind, because of the effects on soil and potential issues underneath. These are all things that need to be kept in mind.
What I have been saying in the past is that there are other expenses and that we need to make sure we plan for the legacy costs. That is where the member really needs to have the focus in terms of the comments being strong, but it also needs to be on understanding that there is a cost for all of these things in the forefront that needs to be countered as well.
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- Oct/6/23 12:53:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our mutual friend, the late Hon. Pat Carney, did negotiate those deals, and from our perspective, I appreciate that the member thinks this was an unusual year. This was an El Niño year in North America, where we got less rain in the spring than we did last year or the year before. I expect, when we do not have an El Niño year again, that will change.
With regard to the issue of where wind power generation goes, of course we believe in tidal power and wind power. That is why I spoke for a great deal in my speech about the only project that has ever worked, which was the tidal power by Sustainable Marine Energy, which the government shut down. It, without damage, continued to return power to the Nova Scotia power grid, and they did not get paid for it, yet the government used this as an excuse to shut it down. DFO had given it four approvals and would not give it the fifth.
That approach to shutting down all energy projects, whether they be in oil and gas or on the renewable side of things, is the problem with the bill. It would put in place the terrible provisions of the IAA and Bill C-69 into this process.
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Mr. Speaker, I would simply offer that, if we are going to have these inflammatory questions, we should be able to address them. That is what I am doing. I am saying that climate change is real. It is happening, and there is a cost to the inaction of not dealing with it.
Bill C-49 clearly addresses that. British Columbians have had a price on carbon in my province since 2008, and it is one of the mechanisms to help reduce the impacts of consumer behaviours. The point is simply that we need to take action. Clean energy is important, and Bill C-49 will get us there.
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague from British Columbia asked an excellent question. I could not have said it any better myself. I think we need all parties to come together in the House to work on advancing clean energy and the transition to decarbonize our economy.
Bill C-49 is a clear demonstration of the east coast's commitment to that transition. The provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, are clearly asking for this. It is up to the House to provide this enabling legislation so provincial legislation can follow, and projects that are already being studied can get developed. It is a very important piece of legislation. I ask all parties to come together quickly to get this legislation through the House.
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