I’m proud to rise in the house today to speak on such an important
issue as the Canadian environment. I am proud to be a member of a Government
that is facing our challenges on the environment head on and finding
solutions that deliver tangible results and put Canadians first.
Earlier today, the Government of Canada submitted two sets of documents
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The first set is Canada’s 2004 Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
The second set includes two submissions that are part of Canada’s
new input into the global dialogue on future international cooperation
on climate change.
What does our 2004 GHG inventory say? According to the 2004
inventory, Canadian emissions were almost 35% above the Kyoto target
negotiated
by the Liberals.
The numbers say it: we have inherited a situation that makes the Kyoto
target unachievable. Why is it unachievable? Let me spell it out.
In 2004, our emissions were 195 Mt above our Kyoto target. How much
is 195 Mt? It’s the equivalent of more than all our transportation
emissions – i.e., all the emissions from every car, truck, plane
and train in Canada. We would have to pull every truck and car off the
street, shut down every train and ground every plane to reach the Kyoto
target negotiated by the Liberals.
Or we could shut all the lights off in Canada tomorrow – but
that still wouldn’t be enough – to reach our Kyoto target
we’d have to shut off all the lights AND shut down the entire agriculture
industry.
Or instead we could shut down every individual Canadian household,
not once, not twice, not three times, but FOUR times over to meet the
Kyoto target the Liberals negotiated for Canada.
Or, we could do what the Liberals thought was the answer faced with
the realization that the target they negotiated meant shutting down Canada’s
economy – spend the money overseas buying international credits – the
Liberals had set aside up to $600 dollars per Canadian household to be
sent overseas in order to help reach the Kyoto target they negotiated
for Canada.
Let’s be clear – many Canadians predicted at the time that
the targets the Liberals negotiated were unrealistic and voiced concerns
that a proper implementation plan needed to come first. But politics
got ahead of good policy and the Liberals negotiated a target without
a plan to get there first.
So we cannot meet the Kyoto target negotiated by the Liberals. But
that does not mean we give up the fight – we are committed to real
progress on cleaning up Canada’s environment and on reducing our
greenhouse gas emissions - to face the challenge before us in an open
and transparent way and develop realistic and reachable goals to reduce
pollution and greenhouse gases.
We are turning a new leaf on the environment – with a commitment
to Canadians that all money for the environment will be spent on the
Canadian environment. We will not send Canadian taxpayers’ dollars
overseas to buy credits. These are billions of dollars that can be invested
in Canada to help reduce pollution and greenhouse gases. To build greener
infrastructure, develop new technologies and make Canada more efficient
and economically competitive.
In our initiatives, Canadians always come first.
To that effect, our government is focused on “Made-in-Canada” solutions
that are inclusive and results-oriented. We will respect the particular
needs and circumstances of each of our country’s provinces and
territories – but always insist that our initiatives have direct
benefits to Canadians and the Canadian environment. We want to see tangible
benefits where it matters most – in Canadian communities.
Our first focus is on domestic action to ensure that Canadians can
enjoy clean air, clean water, clean land, clean and secure energy, and
healthy communities.
We have already begun with an investment in “Made-in-Canada” solutions
that deliver real environmental and health benefits to Canadians by investing
in new, greener, cleaner transportation and incentives to get Canadians
out of their cars and into public transit – this is important because
transportation is one of the highest contributors to pollution and greenhouse
gases – in Quebec, transportation is the highest cause of greenhouse
gases.
Very shortly, we will be sitting down for the first time ever in this
country’s history with the provinces to launch our way forward
to a national renewable fuels strategy – which will see real, tangible
benefits to the environment and economic benefits to the agriculture
sector. We are launching a long-overdue review of the Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, Canada’s most important piece of environmental
policy to find ways to strengthen it. The Liberals put off the review,
we committed in our Speech to the Throne that it receive the comprehensive
review it deserves for the sake of the Canadian environment. We have
begun the review of the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement,
which hasn’t had a serious review since 1987.
Soon, the Health Minister and I will lay out a vision and direction
on the important need to deal with transboundary air pollution and work
with the health authorities across Canada and the provinces to develop
the Canadian Clean Air Act. Today, Canada falls behind the USA in every
industry sector on pollution control. And we don’t just want to
catch up, we want to compete – we want to lead.
The health impacts of pollution are deadly and the cost to the healthcare
system is in the billions. Last year, Ontario had 53 smog advisory days
and Quebec had 34 – and for the first time in Canadian history,
we had 10 winter smog advisory days in Canada. On those days, young children
with asthma and elderly people with respiratory diseases cannot leave
their homes – this is unacceptable to our Government – and
the answer is not to blame the US and other countries for the pollution
that crosses our borders – we have to clean up our own backyard
also.
We are beginning discussions with the provinces on a National Water
Strategy – to share information about water quantity and quality.
To ensure Canadians have access to safe and clean drinking water, and
to identify the quantity and resource related issues that are emerging
throughout Canada.
We will be working towards a system for large emitters to deal with
greenhouse gases and ensure that we take the right steps to facilitate
Canada’s ability to contribute in our strongest capacity to this
international challenge – through the development and deployment
of clean technology.
These are just a few of the things we are working on – all of
them are “Made-in-Canada” solutions – real benefits,
tangible results for Canadians and the Canadian environment.
We will ensure that our domestic policy aligns with our international
policy. It will also ensure that Canada will continue to exercise a leadership
role within international consultation and cooperation by advancing realistic
and inclusive international options within the United Nations, and we
will explore other mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ways
that accurately reflect Canada’s national circumstances and effectively
protect our country’s interests.
We want to see a more inclusive international approach which sees large
emitters like China and India take on commitments to reduce pollution
and greenhouse gases within the Kyoto Protocol. To reach a global solution,
we need everyone to be part of the equation.
This government is committed to turning a new leaf and showing results
on the environment.
This is what our new “Made-in-Canada” approach is all about.
Domestic action to achieve tangible environmental results, right down
to our local communities.
