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Mr. Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, CPC)

Nov/24/21 11:19:53 p.m.
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At COP26, the Prime Minister referred to the village in the past tense, saying that there was a town called Lytton. Residents who heard the speech, including Chief Patrick Michell of Kanaka Bar, were quick to point out that Lytton is far from gone. While structures were ruined, the spirit was not. Respectfully, the Prime Minister did acknowledge this evening that people are still living in Lytton, and I thank him. The community is eager to return home and restore the neighbourhoods they know and love. Over four months later, residents remain displaced throughout the province, and they need to see some action. Compounded by the recent floods and landslides, Lytton's evacuation order has been in place since June, and there is no end in sight. Critical infrastructure, including Highway No. 1 near Jackass Summit, Tank Hill and Highway No. 8, and water and wastewater systems need to be restored to accommodate the return of residents and contractors. Vitally, the volunteer Lytton fire department needs a new fire hall and equipment to ensure it is fully operational during the building process. Local businesses were already suffering from the adverse impacts of COVID-19 when the fire hit. Uninsured and under-insured business owners are grappling with the loss of their storefronts and inventory, and many who required pandemic supports such as CEBA will be unable to pay it back by year end. The business community is calling for low- and zero-interest loans through Pacific Economic Development Canada to help services become operational as soon as possible. Lytton First Nation and the Village of Lytton have expressed a desire to work together and may submit joint funding proposals. Surrounding first nations, such as Siska, Nicomen, Kanaka Bar and others, are also dependent on the critical infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt, including the only surgical hospital in the region. Being a small and remote community, Lytton does not have access to the administrative and financial resources available to larger communities able to complete onerous application processes. Furthermore, the village lost all crucial documentation and backup servers in the fire, making it near impossible to complete some of these applications. As the destruction of this wildfire is so extensive and necessary recovery efforts exceed the usual scope, I have requested that special funding through the Treasury Board Secretariat management reserve be delivered expeditiously. The BC Wildfire Service said that this was one of the worst fires it had ever seen as it tore through critical infrastructure, downing telecommunications, BC Hydro, the RCMP detachment, the fire hall, the hospital and the village amenities. Thankfully, the school was saved. Residents had minutes to flee, as I mentioned, with not much more than the clothes on their backs and without any warning of which direction was safe to travel out of the rural community. Many ended up in Merritt, which has now been evacuated for a second time. Imagine that: being evacuated from their home for one natural disaster and then being evacuated from another for another disaster. Imagine the toll that would take on anyone's mental health. I call upon the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to make mental health supports available to my constituents. Heartbreakingly, as we all know, this grappling with the loss of property and livelihood does not stop with Lytton. On Sunday, November 14, a never-before-seen storm swept through British Columbia. While it took some in the Ottawa press gallery a little longer than it should have to catch on, the devastating impacts on B.C. and to my constituents are now widely known. While we have seen the shocking pictures, it can be hard to grasp the impacts on regular people without a direct connection. That brings me to my cousin, Christine. She is about the same age as me. She is pregnant. She and her husband Richard were flooded out of their home. They are chicken farmers and they also own a small business doing welding work on dairy farms. They lost 20,000 birds and they lost their home, but sometimes it is the little things that really impact people. My cousin put on our family Facebook group that they had just received a bonus from one of their feed suppliers, and they had stocked up their freezer for the Christmas season. Sometimes the little things, like losing a freezer full of food, put people over the edge. There will be a time for a full analysis of what could have been done faster or better, and I know that work is already under way. However, more rain is on the way, and additional help will be needed to rebuild the critical infrastructure connecting the Lower Mainland to the rest of Canada. As it stands, our highways have been severely impacted and in some places completely destroyed. Most of these roads and their damaged sections are either within or connect through Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. The Trans-Canada Highway between Hope and Spences Bridge has been washed out. Highway 3 is open between Hope and Princeton, but as of late Tuesday, a single lane was open in each direction only for essential travel. The Coquihalla Highway, which my riding borders, is closed with severe washouts, including where a mudslide took out a large section 11 kilometres south of the Great Bear Snowshed. There are no detours, and experts say it could be weeks before crews can even begin some of these repairs. We all know as British Columbians that doing road construction on the Coquihalla in the winter is next to impossible. Highway 99 between between Lillooet and Pemberton was previously closed due to a landslide and is now open for essential travel. As some of my colleagues have mentioned tonight, sadly, this is where four people lost their lives. The search is ongoing for a fifth individual who is also presumed deceased. My prayers are with their families and friends, and especially with the little girl who lost her parents. Highway 8, which connects Merritt to Spences Bridge, is closed. The provincial transportation minister reports that 18 segments of the highway were damaged, including four bridges. Steven Rice, the local TNRD area director, is doing yeoman's work attempting to get the word out, highlighting just how little attention rural areas such as his get. In Mr. Rice's estimation, it will be years before residents can return home, if ever. In the Lower Mainland, only essential travel is permitted on Highway 1 between Popkum and Hope, and the highway is closed altogether through a large section in Abbotsford. Highway 7 from Mission to Hope is restricted to essential travel only, and a large section of Highway 11 between Mission and Abbotsford remains closed for the foreseeable future. Needless to say, highway repair is going to take a significant amount of time and effort. On rail transportation and one positive note, when we review the state of the affected railways I have been so encouraged by the speed with which CN and CP have moved to repair their damaged lines and their efforts to restart the supply chain and get goods moving. They have also played a critical role in supplying otherwise cut off remote communities, including many indigenous communities, with the supplies necessary to weather this disaster. Railways have always been critical to our economy, and with the devastating washout on B.C.'s major highways, their services only increase in necessity, especially when it comes to animal feed and the food security issues we are facing in the Fraser Valley. I have received, like many members in the House tonight, a significant amount of feedback from constituents on the ground about what needs to be addressed right now and especially before our next extreme weather event. One email from Harm Baars, a local dairy farmer who was instrumental in moving a lot of the cattle out from Sumas Prairie, has called for less push-back from regional authorities governed by liability concerns. Farmers are going to do everything they can to save their livelihoods, and officials need to give them the space to do so. Ideally, authorities will work with the affected locals. Landowners are more than willing to help. Emergency crews get into areas they often do not have the equipment for or know, but that farmers do. This is a shortcoming of federal emergency preparedness that should be reviewed. Canadian Forces equipment and personnel cannot be effective when they are stuck on the other side of the Rockies coming from Edmonton or have to fly in from Quebec to service British Columbia. The absence of CFB Chilliwack is being felt, and these events have highlighted that the federal and provincial governments must invest more in preparations for future disasters, because there will be more climate-change-related disasters in British Columbia, and we need more federal investments on this front. There should also be an improved warning system. It would have been possible for farmers to move more cattle, but they were not able to because they did not get enough warning. This led to the forced euthanasia of many dairy cattle on farms in the eastern part of Sumas Prairie. B.C.'s Alert Ready system has not been utilized at all this year, despite a record number of natural disasters. This is a critical Canada-wide platform, and the federal government needs to work with the province of B.C. to make sure that B.C. has the tools it needs. Additionally, as we saw during the wildfire season, our indigenous communities are once again being left out of the emergency communications loop. It has been reported that First Nations' Emergency Services Society was not contacted by until Tuesday, November 16. Cook's Ferry Indian Band, among many others, never received a call to evacuate. The disconnect between Emergency Management B.C. and B.C.'s first nations continues to put lives at risk and must be addressed. This afternoon, I spoke with Lytton first nations councillor Jason Robertson, who is also a firefighter and an all around amazing guy and leader. He says that the responsibility is tossed from one table to another without resolution. They do not know where to go. I raised this issue with the previous minister of indigenous services, and I now call on his successor to please correct this and work with emergency services in B.C. and the first nations in B.C. to improve emergency management and to give more authority to our local first nations. They often understand the land much better than we do. They know the wind patterns, and they know the river flows. They live right by it, and we do not. Let us let them do the work that we know they are capable of doing. Turning to infrastructure, immediately building improved and climate resilient infrastructure is vital. The upcoming federal budget must contain significant funds to address these urgent needs in British Columbia for the sake of our economy, national security and public safety. As we saw through the rapid work of Abbotsford city staff and volunteers who sandbagged the Barrowtown pump stations, seconds count when it comes to the repairs in the face of extreme whether. Many of our dike and pump station infrastructure was built before and during the 1950s. Embarrassingly, this was before indigenous people could even vote in our country. The unacceptable outcome is that their safety and needs were and continue to be overlooked. It is a common fact discussed at a local forum I am a part of. Many of the first nation reserves do not even have the dike protection that communities like Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack have. That is not acceptable anymore. A 2015 B.C. government study assessed a sample of 75 Lower Mainland dikes where they do exist and found that 71 per cent were vulnerable to failure. It rated the highest elevation of the key Sumas Lake reclamation dike in Abbotsford as “unacceptable” and stated that, “overtopping is expected during Nooksack River overflow”, which is exactly what just happened. A 2020 report commissioned by the City of Abbotsford found that damage from a major flood could be as high as $960 million, with proposed dike solutions coming in between $29 million to $339 million. Unfortunately, that damage estimate is likely lower than what we are now seeing in the real world. Local communities have been raising the alarm bells for years. It has been mentioned in this House tonight that just three weeks ago, I met with the mayor of Abbotsford, my colleague from Langley—Aldergrove and my colleague from Abbotsford, and the mayor of Abbotsford pressed upon us to bring the issue of dike infrastructure to the Parliament of Canada, and then we faced what we just faced. Updated flood mapping is required so that we can better plan for future events and better prepare to rebound from catastrophes. We cannot address climate change if we do not apply all the models and discussions tonight to real world situations to the topography of our land. The ridings most affected in the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack-Hope and Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon, are incredibly important agricultural areas and are essential for Canada's food security. This disaster also brings up many points about insurance. A significant amount of the damage sustained will not be covered by insurance. Whether it falls under an “act of God” clause, is unaffordable, or it simply does not exist because flood insurance is in its infancy in Canada, the federal government must provide relief for those who now face unimaginable financial hurdles. The findings of the federal task force examining a national residential flood insurance program for homeowners living in high-risk areas, expected next spring, cannot come soon enough. Again, the Prime Minister addressed this today, so I will be holding the Liberal government to account on ensuring it happens. Another unpopular reality that has been avoided by federal and provincial governments for far too long is the need to dredge our rivers, especially the Fraser and the Sumas, as these past weeks have highlighted. It is possible to do this work outside of spawning season to safeguard our salmon and our environment. During the forum that I mentioned earlier, many of the first nations leaders in my constituency were supportive of this work and might even undertake it themselves as an economic opportunity to improve salmon habitat and reduce the risk of flood on their lands. The Fraser Valley is known globally for our high-quality berry production, but the industry has been hard hit on multiple fronts, such as the summer heat wave and heat dome, and labour shortages. I had a meeting with the BC Blueberry Council this week and it reported that 2,500 acres of blueberry fields were flooded and 1,000 acres remained underwater. These submerged plants will not survive and must be removed and replaced. The soil must also be remediated for toxicity. Farmers are no longer able to position themselves to secure a loan in the aftermath of this flood devastation. It is my understanding that existing agricultural insurance programs, including the agristability program, do not account for natural disasters like floods, where farms are destroyed beyond the possibility of recovering in a following season. For context, blueberry plants take five to six years to reach maturation and before crops are ready for commercial-scale harvest. Insurance compensation for one-season's worth of losses will not begin to match the actual loss. It is estimated that it will cost $32,000 to $37,000 per acre to restore these blueberry fields. We are facing a crisis like we never have seen before in B.C. Our country cannot afford to have one of our most productive agricultural areas wiped out. Federal assistance, as I have written the Minister of Agriculture this week, must come forward to assist in these vital areas. As I come to a conclusion, I cannot thank enough the thousands of people all across my riding and across British Columbia and Canada who have come to aid and show their sympathy for my corner of this beautiful country. I thank them on behalf of everyone in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. I am thankful that the government has worked so collaboratively with the opposition to address these concerns and that we were able to have this debate tonight. I am thankful and reassured by some of the things I have heard tonight, that we will work together to ensure, hopefully in the next budget, that British Columbia will receive some money for climate change adaptation and mitigation in an area of our country where it is needed probably the most. It has been a tough year for B.C. It has been a tough year for my riding. For my constituents, this is my first time speaking tonight. I am going to keep fighting for them. There is a lot to be done, but if we take that team Canada approach, we can meet and exceed the tasks ahead. I am very hopeful, and I am very encouraged by our discussions.

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Ms. Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, NDP)

Nov/24/21 11:38:52 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I think we have all listened very carefully to the details he has offered around the situation with which his constituents are faced. He can be assured that the New Democrats will work with him and with the government to ensure they get the help they need. Being from British Columbia, I will ensure that all British Columbians get the help they need. On that note, the government has said that there will be emergency support for people who are faced with this situation. I am worried that if they apply for this emergency support, later on down the road it might come back to hit them, such as with the seniors who have been hit on the GIS clawback, that somehow or another it will disqualify them for something or they will be penalized for something. In his discussions on the issue around supporting individuals, families and businesses that have been hit by this has there been some assurance from the government that it will not come back and tell people that they will lose some sort of benefit or will have a claw back on some other eligibility criteria? What are his thoughts on that?

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Mr. Brad Vis

Nov/24/21 11:40:06 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I owe my colleague from Vancouver East an apology, because during my caucus meeting today I missed our panel on CBC Radio in Vancouver. I apologize to her for that. I hope she stood up for the opposition. Regarding my colleague's question, I spoke with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion about the supports the Government of Canada is going to provide to those who have been impacted by the floods, but to her specific question about how those benefits relate to people's income taxes and the income one is claiming at the end of the year, I think it would be helpful to receive some clarification from the minister. That is something we both can endeavour to achieve in the coming days.

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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Nov/24/21 11:40:59 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon for an excellent speech and for making it personal. I received an email from a friend. As the hon. member will know, we have deep family connections within his riding. I give a shout-out to Mike and Brandi who lost everything. They lost their home and farm. When reading their email, I started crying at the part about not being able to find their dog Posie right before the helicopter came. It was bad enough they had to shoot the livestock that could not be rescued, but when I read about the poor dog terrified in a flooded basement in the dark, his rescue of the dog and getting it to the helicopter, that is when I started losing it. Every single person in these communities has suffered deep trauma. The pain is not something we can really talk about in this place. When we talk about euthanizing animals, it is much more deeply personal. I just want to pledge the support of Green Party members and supporters, and the members of Parliament in this place, for whatever it takes to help every single community, every single farmer, every single resident rebuild and get their life back.

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Mr. Brad Vis

Nov/24/21 11:42:14 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for keeping it real with respect to the impacts people are feeling right now. A friend on Facebook who I went to high school with said, “My house is flooded, but I can't leave my dogs.” For many people, and those of us who door-knock, basically one in three Canadians has a pet that is considered a part of the family. Those are very traumatic experiences. That is why in my speech I raised the issue of mental health, which was not really addressed tonight. There are a lot of people suffering severe anxiety and depression because of the losses we have seen throughout British Columbia. It is incumbent upon all of us to honour the people of British Columbia and those in other parts of Canada who are impacted by similar devastation to support them in the work we do here today and get them the supports they need.

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Mr. Mel Arnold (North Okanagan—Shuswap, CPC)

Nov/24/21 11:43:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon's riding has seen devastation, as has mine and those of the members for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola and Abbotsford. I have advocated for the infrastructure that has been lost and needs to be rebuilt and the infrastructure that communities across our ridings have been asking for for a number of years now when I make an annual submission to the finance minister for the communities looking to build infrastructure. The current government has promised all kinds of funding for infrastructure, but it has not reached the ground. I hope the member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon will join me in demanding that the government finally see that infrastructure funding reach the ground where the communities need it and where it needs to be put in place, so they can build for the future. I hope he will support me in that ask.

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Mr. Brad Vis

Nov/24/21 11:44:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the member for North Okanagan—Shuswap. I have already been pushing the Minister of Infrastructure in this House since we have been here together. I had the most productive hour of my month on Monday when everyone was in the House of Commons and I could go from minister to minister, impressing upon them the need to take action for British Columbia. What I heard tonight is that there is a collective will across party lines to work together and everyone wants to see those infrastructure dollars on the ground. We know the money is there. It is in the Canada Infrastructure Bank. I have had assurances from ministers that they want to be nimble. They want to work with us and maintain that team Canada approach. I look forward to seeing that done. I look forward to working with everyone to see those infrastructure dollars for climate change, mitigation and adaptation, for roadways and rail infrastructure, and for the port of metro Vancouver on the ground as soon as possible.

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Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, CPC)

Nov/24/21 11:45:49 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his passion and his productivity, and for giving the ministers the message that we need help. That was incredible. In his speech tonight he talked about the challenges that many small indigenous communities have had and the gaps they are falling through. It is tremendously important that we try to help out those communities that need that support. Could the member give us a few more points? Are there specifics on what would help those communities cope through this crisis?

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Mr. Brad Vis

Nov/24/21 11:46:34 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the other day I had a meeting with Chief Patrick Michell. He is a very dynamic individual and has worked really hard to get the federal government out of the way so Kanaka Bar Indian Band can build housing. Right now, as part of its infrastructure plan, I think the federal government needs to get housing built. It took three years for Chief Michell to get 24 units built. Let us work with these small indigenous communities that are fighting so hard to get those infrastructure dollars to get clean water back on the reserve, because it has all been destroyed recently. They need to get housing and clean water as soon as possible. We have the people on the ground who know how to do it. We have to empower them and we have to eliminate some of the red tape that they are facing.

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Ms. Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, NDP)

Nov/24/21 11:47:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member mentioned the need for housing and he is absolutely correct. In the most recent throne speech, I was dismayed that the Liberal government did not even mention anything about the urgent need for a for-indigenous, by-indigenous urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy. I wonder if the member could comment on that and what his views are. Do we need one or do we not? Should that be in the budget, or should it not?

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Mr. Brad Vis

Nov/24/21 11:48:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the answer is absolutely yes. I worked hard with the member for Vancouver East on a study and it is very clear, especially in rural and northern communities, that indigenous people are not getting a fair shake from the federal government in terms of equal access to government programs. It is incumbent upon this new Parliament to address those rural deficiencies, especially in indigenous communities, and to give them the housing they need to live their best lives. That is the least we can do for them.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Nov/24/21 11:48:44 p.m.
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Before I turn the floor over to the next speaker, I just want to let him know that he will have only about 12 minutes for his speech. The hon. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

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Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Nov/24/21 11:49:04 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, before I share my observations, I would just like to congratulate you on your recent re-election as the members' unanimous choice to co-chair the House. I am privileged to rise and speak to an issue that is on all Canadians' minds no matter where they live or their socioeconomic reality. We all know that this is a tragically historic event. I have no doubt that everyone in the House is thinking of the families who lost loved ones to the floods in B.C. Our government wants to thank the first responders, the search and rescue volunteers and the emergency managers who are working hard to keep people on the west coast safe at this time. Our government is monitoring the situation in southern British Columbia closely. We have offered to provide whatever assistance is needed to help respond to and recover from this extreme weather. Our government continues to work with provincial and local partners. The ongoing whole-of-government response effort is coordinated to ensure that the province has the resources it needs to support the people of B.C. In response to requests for federal assistance from the Province of British Columbia on November 16, our government approved the use of Canadian Armed Forces air assets and land components to assist with the whole-of-government relief effort. The floods seen on Vancouver Island and in B.C.'s southern mainland have shocked and saddened people across this country. While the crisis has limited its devastation to one great province, the message it has carried has flowed from coast to coast to coast. There is no community in our country that has watched events unfold in British Columbia and not felt concern for the people there or dread for what such a catastrophe means for all of us. Whether we live in Cornerbrook or Cape Breton, Kamouraska or Kenora, Colville Lake or Canmore, the B.C. floods and the rains that brought them matter. If we look beyond the events of this month and, in fact, of this year, we cannot deny that they matter a lot. Over the course of several months, B.C. has felt the impacts of multiple climate disasters: devastating wildfires and life-threatening extreme heat. The sudden heavy rains last week were the result of an atmospheric river, a phenomenon that Canadians have come to know much more about. As the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, I am particularly moved by the events unfolding on the west coast. I share in the sadness of the families of those who lost their lives in the serious flooding. I am struck by the stories of the residents of British Columbia. I have been informed of the challenges the municipalities are facing because of the damage to the infrastructure and the repairs that will be needed. Providing relief and recovering from a flood is a long-term prospect. We are committed to providing what is needed to help people get through this difficult time. Unfortunately, we know that British Columbia is not out of the woods yet. Another atmospheric river event is occurring now. Affecting the province's north coast, it is expected to slip southward, bringing more rain to southern B.C. within days. In fact, atmospheric rivers are expected to continue to affect the province beyond that. My department is not merely watching these developments. We are regularly updating our official weather forecast, weather watches and warnings. I encourage people in B.C. to continue to follow Environment and Climate Change Canada's official channels for weather forecasts, weather watches and warnings. There, they will find more details on the latest weather information. Our immediate priority is support for activities on the ground. With world-class meteorological services, Environment and Climate Change Canada continues to provide assistance to B.C.'s emergency management and response efforts. The department's meteorologists are providing frequent weather updates to Emergency Management British Columbia at the primary operations centre, as well as to the regional command centres. Our National Hydrological Service technologists and engineers are monitoring water-gauging stations and providing water-level data to help guide the provincial flood forecasters. Our experts are briefing the regional coordination group, providing up-to-the-minute, site-specific weather forecasts, and our national environmental emergencies centre is monitoring for potential pollution incidents, ready to provide support. The severity of weather events in B.C., as well as their potential impacts, is unquestionable and is not limited to one given place. Consider the torrential rain and strong winds that began lashing Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador yesterday. Many Canadians are asking openly, “Is that what climate change looks like?” It is not as simple as attributing a single weather event to human-caused climate change, but the evidence is conclusive: Canada is experiencing more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, and climate change is leading to those intense disasters, not only here at home but also around the world. We know that climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather conditions. Canadians are seeing this clearly. It is not unreasonable for people to associate these events with climate change. If the events in British Columbia strongly suggest that climate change is happening, then what are we to do? Our government is taking action in different ways. Strengthening weather forecasting and environmental services and early warning systems will be essential in the future because Canada will be facing unprecedented weather conditions. Such measures are critical for robust emergency preparedness and response to events like the ones we have seen in B.C. this year. They also complement the significant steps this government has taken already to adapt to a future climate that is in sharp contrast to today's climate. Climate adaptation was one of the key themes at COP26, the UN climate change conference that the Prime Minister, several cabinet ministers and I attended at the beginning of this month in Glasgow, Scotland. There, on the world stage, Canada committed to doing its part. Never before has the need to adapt to climate change been stronger. Most countries went to Glasgow to announce that they would sustain and increase their commitments to adapt to climate change. Canada was among those countries. Going forward, as we have for many years, our government will continue to foster robust partnerships and help scale-up worldwide efforts for a climate-resilient future. What does adapting to climate change involve at home? First, it is about informing people. Weather forecasting and environmental services, such as those provided by the Government of Canada, are becoming increasingly important in the face of unprecedented weather conditions. They support decision-making at all levels of society and increase climate resilience. We must tackle climate change openly and directly. Extreme weather events will increase in severity and frequency in the decades to come. We must invest in transforming our infrastructure, our economy and our relationship with nature. Many government departments, working together, started developing a national adaptation strategy earlier this year. The strategy will unite actors at different levels of government and build Canada's strong foundation into a common blueprint for action for all citizens, governments and organizations. Let us not forget the hard lessons learned these past few weeks in British Columbia. There always comes a time when the immediate crisis is over, and we must remain open to new ideas and change our ways. In the wake of the experience of the B.C. flooding, and in fact all of the severe weather events in that province this year, we must show that by working together, governments, organizations, indigenous people and citizens can build climate resilience. Together, we must do more. We must do it faster to fight climate change and to enhance our abilities to prepare and adapt. Our government will always be there to help Canadians in need.

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Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, CPC)

Nov/24/21 11:58:16 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, obviously this has been quite a debate, and I would say that all sides have been supportive of British Columbia. I want to thank the minister for being part of that. One thing we have heard, whether it was in the election or since then, is that the government seems to have large ambitions but not many achievements. It is something the Leader of the Opposition said earlier. There are a lot of people in my home province of British Columbia who are looking for leadership from the government. What does the minister do with the skepticism that people have toward the government in its always focusing on words rather than deeds?

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Hon. Steven Guilbeault

Nov/24/21 11:59:13 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, earlier this evening I pointed to very concrete things that are happening in this country because of our government, namely the 300 transit projects under construction from one side of the country to the other and the record-level investments in the electrification of transportation. By the end of next year, 16,000 charging stations will be installed across the country, as more and more people are relying on electric vehicles. We are already investing in nature-based adaptation solutions in many parts of the country, but I will be the first to admit that we need to do more and we need to do it faster.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Nov/24/21 11:59:56 p.m.
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It being midnight, I declare the motion carried. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until later this day at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 12 a.m.)

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Ms. Kristina Michaud

Nov/24/21 8:20:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his question. I am aware of all of these investments that have been made in recent months and years, and I commend them. I think that Canada has a good international reputation. It even announced that it would stop spending Canadian taxpayers' money on foreign oil and gas projects. We would like the government to do the same here, in Canada. We are worried about these hidden subsidies. It means that the government plans to continue favouring the “polluter paid” principle instead of the polluter pays principle. We want to stop helping the polluters pollute. Our only focus should be the net-zero strategy. We need to rethink production methods and put a cap on production. That is what we must focus on, in spite of everything that was announced. We are in a climate crisis. What the government announces is never enough. We must do more.

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