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Dec/6/21 6:59:19 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the last few weeks have seen devastating flooding in British Columbia. After a summer of extreme heat and climate fires, the climate crisis is here. It is real, and this is just the beginning. Canadians are already feeling the impacts. They want to see concrete action to address this emergency with the urgency required. However, the Liberal government continues to delay. Canada remains the highest emitter per capita and is the country with the 10th-largest share of historical emissions. Since the Liberals formed government in 2015, Canada has become the worst performer of all G7 nations. The environment commissioner has released a series of scathing reports on Canada's inaction, saying, “We can't continue to go from failure to failure; we need action and results, not just more targets and plans.” The Liberal government is not on track to achieve the targets it has committed to. The commissioner looked at the Liberals' emissions reduction fund, and despite its name, he found that this emissions reduction fund is not actually reducing emissions at all. The Liberals are using faulty greenhouse gas emission estimates to fund the oil and gas sector, putting at risk not only our emission reduction targets, but also the health of all Canadians. Two out of three companies stated in their application that the program would allow them to increase production levels, which would lead to increased emissions, and more than half of the total claimed that reductions had already been accounted for under federal methane regulations. Any funding aimed at oil and gas companies should at least, at the bare minimum, be tied to delivering emission reductions. Otherwise, they are undermining efforts to fight climate change and meet our climate targets. They are fuelling the climate crisis. Not only did the government not link this funding to actual emissions reductions, it did not make sure it was getting value for money to help maintain employment or attract investments, which were the other aims of the program. Simply put, the Liberals are not showing the climate leadership that they repeatedly told Canadians they could expect. The Prime Minister likes to talk about how his plan gets an A, and that his promises get top marks, but the sad truth is that the Prime Minister does not follow through on his promises. When one misses every single climate target and delays climate action in the middle of a climate crisis, one gets an F. It is failing. Canadians cannot wait any longer while the Liberals drag their feet. Canada will not meet our climate targets if the government continues to subsidize oil and gas rather than investing in a credible plan for workers in a clean economy. Why is the government continuing to give billions of dollars to big oil and gas? When will the Liberals stop dragging their feet on laying out a credible green jobs plan? When will they stop dragging their feet on investing in climate solutions? When will they take action that matches the scale and urgency of the crisis? When will we finally have a government that not only acknowledges we are in a climate crisis, but also acts like it?

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

Dec/6/21 7:02:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I beg to differ on many of the assumptions that the member has made, but I will speak specifically to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies. I will say to this House and to the member that Canada remains committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, as was committed to by G20 countries in Pittsburgh in 2009, and that we committed to do so two years earlier than our G20 partners. These countries had committed to do this by 2025, and we will be doing this by 2023. To support Canada's efforts to fulfill its commitment, we have committed to undergo a peer review of those subsidies under the G20 process. Argentina will be doing that on behalf of Canada. Once the process is completed, the results will be communicated in a transparent and timely manner. Canada has already made significant progress towards meeting its commitment to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. Since 2007, the government has taken action to phase out eight tax measures supporting the fossil fuel sector. However, beyond Canada's commitment to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, the government also believes that creating good, well-paying jobs in the low-carbon economy and ensuring that workers have the right tools and skills essential to building a sustainable and prosperous future for Canada is a priority. Simply put, we cannot achieve climate action and the transition to a low-carbon economy without putting people first. To empower workers and communities through the transition, we must address the immediate challenges of jobs and economic growth in ways that establish the foundation for long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Government of Canada is delivering on this commitment by continuing to support workers and communities impacted by the phase-out of coal, and we are launching engagement on just transition legislation to ensure that workers and communities will thrive in a carbon-constrained world. We are also making significant investment in skills training to ensure workers are able to succeed in the low-carbon economy. The measures detailed in budget 2021 are expected to deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians. Canada cannot reach net-zero emissions by 2050 without the participation, know-how and innovation ideas of all Canadians.

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Ms. Laurel Collins

Dec/6/21 7:05:21 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, when confronted with the failure of the emissions reduction fund to reduce emissions, the Minister of Natural Resources said that the program did not qualify as the kind of fossil fuel subsidy that the government has promised to eliminate by the end of 2023, despite 27 of the first 40 projects funded by the program claiming that they would be increasing production. If handing out taxpayer money to oil and gas companies with no strings attached, and no assurances of reduced emissions, does not count as a subsidy, can the minister explain what does?

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Hon. Steven Guilbeault

Dec/6/21 7:06:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, let me reassure the hon. member that the commitment of our government is to phase out fossil fuel subsidies that are aimed at increasing the production of said fossil fuels. Going forward, we will support every industrial sector, every sector of our economy, to decarbonize. We will be helping the cement sector, the aluminum sector and the auto sector. We will also be helping the oil and gas sector to decarbonize and reduce emissions so that Canada can reach its net-zero target and obviously our 2030 target.

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Mr. Tako Van Popta (Langley—Aldergrove, CPC)

Dec/6/21 7:06:47 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, last week I had a question for the Minister of Emergency Preparedness about the recent flooding in the Fraser Valley and in particular in Abbotsford, which touches on my riding. I pointed out in my question that the Sumas Prairie diking system needs repair. We have known that for a long time. That is not news, and we knew that the price tag would be roughly $500 million, which seems like a big amount of money, but the cost to repair it if there was a flood would be significantly higher. Our worst nightmare came to pass a couple of weeks ago. I was happy to hear the Minister of Emergency Preparedness say that there would be money. The federal government sees the responsibility there, so I hope he brought his chequebook today because I have a specific ask. Here is a bit of background first. Sumas Prairie used to be Sumas Lake. It is a wetlands area. It was subject to annual flooding twice a year: a spring freshet and, in the fall, heavy rains such as we saw. About 100 years ago, it was diked off, canals were put in and big pumping stations pumped it dry. It is very fertile farmland. There is another area of Abbotsford, which I am sure the minister is aware of because he visited there recently. It is called the Matsqui district. It is also low-lying land subject to annual flooding, but there is a diking system there. It held back the water this time around. That is a good thing because it is holding back the mighty Fraser. When that breaks, we have a really big problem. I met with Mayor Braun on the weekend, together with my colleague the member for Abbotsford. We said to him that we were going to be meeting with the Minister of Emergency Preparedness, and asked him what specifically we needed. Mayor Braun said we needed money. Those two diking systems still need to be repaired at roughly $500 million for each of them, and they need to be seismically upgraded. It is a lot of money and I recognize that. Therefore, we are asking for some money. However, here is a second question for the minister, which is more complicated. We need to negotiate with the United States of America, because the Nooksack River, which runs solely within the state of Washington in Whatcom County, also contributed in a very significant way to the flooding this time. This is also a problem that we have known about for many years. I read a report recently that talked about the complexity of it. It is complex. It is the harder question, and the harder problem to solve. I wonder what the Minister of Emergency Preparedness says about that. The first issue is money, and the second is negotiating with the United States.

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Hon. Bill Blair (President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Lib.)

Dec/6/21 7:09:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my friend from Langley—Aldergrove for his collaboration on this really important issue. He is absolutely correct: I recently travelled to Abbotsford. It is not the first time I have been to Abbotsford, nor the first time I have met with Mayor Braun. I am aware of the extraordinary impact the recent flooding events have had on that community and the many other parts of the Lower Mainland of B.C. that have been impacted. I regret to tell my friend that I did not bring a chequebook with me today, but I have some other good news that I think will respond to his inquiry. When this terrible event began, I was in regular contact with the B.C. government about it. In the earliest hours, the Canadian Armed Forces responded. To provide some critically important labour, 650 members of the Canadian Armed Forces arrived in the Abbotsford area and have helped with diking, repairs and sandbagging. I went there and witnessed the exceptional work they were doing, and they were doing it alongside the people of the communities that were impacted. Frankly, it made me proud, as I am sure it does my friend from Langley—Aldergrove, to be a Canadian to watch how people responded in these very difficult times. I acknowledge that important work needs to be done. However, one of the things we have seen over the past several years is an increase in the amount of money the Government of Canada has been expending on disaster financial assistance, through the arrangements we have with the provinces and territories, in response to flooding events. In fact, some of the analysis shows that we can expect it, as a direct result of climate change, to rise exponentially, to five times its current level of expenditure. It is so important that we invest significantly in disaster mitigation and adaptation in all of those areas to ensure we have resilient infrastructure. The diking system to which my friend refers is a very important part of that. As I am sure he is also aware, the diking system was initially the responsibility of the provincial government, but it was downloaded to the municipality. Mayor Braun shared with me, as I suspect he shared with my friend, that because the municipality draws its resources from property taxes, it was unable to make the investments and do the work that was necessary. I spoke with the Premier of British Columbia and he said that was a mistake. We have also set up a joint committee with the provinces and the territories, and I am insisting that municipalities be involved in it as well. We will invest federal dollars to accompany provincial dollars, and will work with the municipality to repair those dikes to ensure that we build a greater resilience for the community. Building back is not good enough; we need to build back better. I know that is sometimes an overused phrase, but we recognize the importance of investing in that. Last year, in budget 2021, we committed $1.4 million to the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund. We know where those dollars will need to be spent, and although there is no chequebook today, I want to assure my friend that we will be there with the people of British Columbia. That is a very important community in this country given the farm work that goes on there. We have seen the resilience of its people, and we need to make sure their community is resilient as well.

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Mr. Tako Van Popta

Dec/6/21 7:13:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, spending $1.4 million on a study is important of course, but we are talking about $1 billion. If the minister did not bring the chequebook today, will it be in the budget? It is absolutely essential. It is existential to the Fraser Valley. The minister did not make any reference to negotiating a treaty with the United States regarding the Nooksack River and the Columbia River, through the International Joint Commission. This is very important. We cannot do this alone. We need our American allies with us on this. I would like his comments on that.

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Hon. Bill Blair

Dec/6/21 7:13:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have a point of clarification, as perhaps I did not make myself clear in my articulation. What we put in budget 2021 was $1.4 billion for the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund. This is not for a study, but to begin to do some of the important work. I will also tell the member that in Lower Mainland B.C. and Abbotsford, as well as in many places right across the country, we know that work needs to be done. Let me also acknowledge that parts of the United States, which in many ways has been ahead of us on this, have invested in creating a more resilient infrastructure to deal with the potential of disasters in its communities. However, this work is ongoing, with collaboration between our two countries. We recognize that water does not respect international boundaries. It does not flow north to south; it flows downhill. When the Nooksack River overflows its banks, the water tends to head right up the Sumas Prairie. It was not solely responsible for the flooding that took place but was a part of it. We will work with the Government of the United States, Washington state, the B.C. government and the communities impacted to make a difference.

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Mrs. Laila Goodridge (Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, CPC)

Dec/6/21 7:14:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am very happy to rise today as I do not feel I received a satisfactory answer from the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development when I asked my question originally. Not only does a child care deal not kick in for about five years, according to the government's own plans, it is completely separate from the issue of inflation. Yes, child care costs are high, but it is not why the cost of gas, home heating, groceries, diapers and pretty much everything else is going up faster than it probably should be. In fact, I would expect that the rising prices across the entire economy will probably get worse as government spending continues to increase. Quite frankly, child care providers will have additional costs put on them if inflation continues to increase. They have to buy groceries for the children. They have to heat their facilities. There are many additional expenditures that will go onto those child care providers, and I am very curious how they will make ends meet. Lowering child care costs is incredibly important for families that have children in need of care, but let us face some very important facts that this is a very small percentage of the population. It will not help people who have no children or families that have older children. It will not help seniors. It will not help the family with the stay-at-home mom or stay-at-home dad. It will not help a family that works shift work whose children need overnight care. So many families are being left behind by those answers, and I really do want to hear what the government is doing with the very real issue that is inflation. Families are coming to me and sharing their concerns about making ends meet this month. While it is wonderful to hear that some plans are in place to help some families, this does not help the senior down the street who is really struggling with the fact that groceries have gone up in price exponentially in the last little while. It does not help the families that are struggling today. Therefore, I really want to hear an answer from the government on how it plans to address this very real concern around inflation.

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Hon. Karina Gould (Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Lib.)

Dec/6/21 7:17:50 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we recognize that inflation is certainly a challenge that families, indeed all Canadians and almost everyone around the world is grappling with right now. It is important to understand the basic premise around inflation. It is not that this is a uniquely Canadian issue. It is happening right around the world. It is caused by challenges with regard to the supply chain, by rising demand, by the fact that we are hopefully coming out of, although continue to be in, one of the worst global health crises that we have ever seen. There are a lot of reasons we are in this challenging situation, but it is abundantly clear that this government has been there for Canadians both before the pandemic and during the pandemic, and we will be there after the pandemic. One of the very first things that we did when we came into office was bring forward the Canada child benefit, which meant we were not sending cheques to millionaires, like the previous Conservative government, but to families who needed them most. Before the 2019 election, we indexed the Canada child benefit to inflation because we knew how important it was for families to make ends meet. I have heard from countless constituents and families across the country about the difference that the Canada child benefit has made for their families, whether it meant they were buying groceries or able to afford diapers in a world that they were not able to before. When it comes to seniors, it is one of the reasons we lowered the age of eligibility for old age security from 67 to 65. Let us not forget that the previous Conservative government would have put millions of Canadian seniors into poverty with that policy change. That was one of the very first things that we did when we were elected in 2015. In the pandemic, we also issued a one-time payment for all OAS recipients to help them with the additional costs they had, and another payment for families that received the Canada child benefit, understanding that costs were going up. This government has been there for Canadians of all ages, all backgrounds, all persuasions and all families, no matter how old their children are and we will continue to do that. Let me talk a bit about child care. Child care is good for kids and it is good for families. Having affordable day care is going to help families deal with the rising costs of everything else around them, but it is also going to help the economy writ large. Let me provide one statistic: 240,000. That is the number of women who will likely enter the workforce because we are making child care more affordable. That means that we are going to be helping address some of the labour shortages, but it also means that families are going to be able to have both parents or a single parent working and hopefully earning a better income. These are good things for kids, for families and for the economy writ large. Finally, let me talk about the supports that we provided through the pandemic. My hon. colleague and members of the Conservative Party continue to talk about money into the economy as if it were a bad thing. At the height of the pandemic, nine million Canadians were on the Canada emergency response benefit. Let us just imagine if we had not done that. What would poverty in this country look like? This was very important. We were there for Canadians and we will continue to be there.

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Mrs. Laila Goodridge

Dec/6/21 7:21:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, at the beginning of the minister's speech, she talked about the fact that inflation is a worldwide problem. Yes, it is a worldwide problem. However, it is worse in Canada than almost any country around the world. That is really important to know because, quite frankly, we need to make sure that what we are doing is actually taking care of all Canadians. The concern that I brought up around inflation is a real concern that is facing many families. When I shared the clip on my social media, seniors reached out to me and sent me personal messages. They are very concerned that the question was important, was dismissed by the minister and that the real concerns about inflation and the cost of groceries going up were not being addressed. I live in northern Canada. I live in northern Alberta and groceries are more expensive—

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Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/6/21 7:22:59 p.m.
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The hon. minister.

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Hon. Karina Gould

Dec/6/21 7:23:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, one thing I will not do and one thing our government will not do is pit different age groups of Canadians against each other. This is exactly why we know that supporting young families through affordable child care is not just good for young families, it is good for the entire economy. It is why we know that increasing old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, again, is not just good for seniors, it is good for the entire economy. When it comes to lifting Canadians out of poverty, we will be here for them no matter what their age, no matter what their background, because it is good for all of us.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/6/21 7:23:41 p.m.
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The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 7:23 p.m.)

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