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John Yakabuski

  • MPP
  • Member of Provincial Parliament
  • Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke
  • Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
  • Ontario
  • The Victoria Center Unit 6 84 Isabella St. Pembroke, ON K8A 5S5 John.Yakabuskico@pc.ola.org
  • tel: 613-735-6627
  • fax: 613-735-6692
  • John.Yakabuski@pc.ola.org

  • Government Page
  • Nov/17/22 11:00:00 a.m.

I’d like to respond to His Majesty’s opposition—he has greetings from the minister from COP27. He’s glad to be there representing Ontario and, indeed, Canada.

I will take no lessons from the opposition when it comes to our climate change plan. We’re very proud of our climate change plan. In fact, we are on target to meet or exceed our commitment for 2030, reducing emissions by 30% below 2005 levels.

Some of the things we have done, for example—electric vehicle production in Ontario. We’re going to lead the world. We have massive investments in EV battery production taking place in the Windsor-Essex area. We are changing furnaces to arc electric at the Sault Ste. Marie and Hamilton steel mills, which will be the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road.

So I say to the Leader of the Opposition, we are well on target to meet or exceed our guarantees for 2030, and we’re very proud of our made-in-Ontario climate change plan.

I want to expand on that. Yes, we are making sure that the environment is a number one priority. However, let’s be clear: We were elected in a massive majority by answering the call that Ontarians gave us to build Ontario—and we’re going to. I say to the leader: The two are not mutually exclusive. We are able to build Ontario and provide what is needed for the increase in population coming over the next couple of decades, and we are able to do that while respecting and protecting the environment. We’re able to walk and chew gum at the same time.

I understand the people on the other side—unfortunately, all they want to talk about is blocking our efforts to do what is necessary to make sure that Ontario continues to lead.

We will get both done, and we’ll protect the environment at the—

326 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
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