44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 8, 2023 10:00AM
- Jun/8/23 10:24:49 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I thank the members of the Bloc Québécois for the motion they have introduced in the House today. I want to congratulate them on bringing forward a motion of substance that genuinely calls on the government to do something meaningful within its realm of possibility.
I want to express that I plan to vote in favour of this motion, not only because it is well crafted, but also because it is a motion on something we should be calling upon the government to do.
When we talk about the government investing in fossil fuels, I think it is important that we do not invest in the creation, exploitation or extraction of fossil fuels. However, I believe there is still work for the government to do with dealing with abandoned oil wells, for example.
Could the leader of the Bloc confirm that the motion is attempting to distinguish between investing in fossil fuels from an extraction perspective and dealing with abandoned oil wells and other impacts from previous fossil fuels extraction?
176 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 10:26:10 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the reality is one of investments in the form of tax credits or assistance for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the process of extracting petroleum resources.
The only petroleum resources that are safe to develop are biofuels and biogas. They exist, but that is not what we are talking about.
The suggested approach is not really useful. If the industry were able to lower its emissions per barrel, it would only produce more barrels. Our money would then be used solely to maintain the level of greenhouse gas emissions. We need to go a step further and transition away from oil.
107 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 10:29:45 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, a number of suggestions come to mind.
As I recently said in the House, we need to walk the talk. In this case, that means that we need to do whatever it takes—even if we are hogtied and gagged—to prevent a government partner from spending billions of dollars on measures that support the oil-related economic chain. That in itself would be a major contribution.
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 11:06:01 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have often heard the Minister of Environment boast in the House about 2021, saying that emissions reached record-setting lows that year. This is hardly surprising, considering there was a pandemic going on. Although he denied it, I remember that the vast majority of Quebeckers had to comply with a curfew for half the year, which says a lot about the strict lockdown in effect at the time. Needless to say, planes were grounded, and teleworking meant that cars stayed in the garage.
What did not increase during that lockdown year, but that certainly made up for it in the inflationary year of 2022, were oil company profits. What did not decrease were the billions of dollars that Ottawa supplied to oil companies.
Given that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has shown that 80% of oil must remain where it is, underground, can the Minister of Environment promise us that there will be no more new oil development projects?
163 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:00:25 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, in budget 2023, the Liberal government promised to invest $80 billion to prevent global warming, but that funding is available to the oil and gas industry. I would like to know how my colleague feels about that. Where does he think we should urgently invest those funds?
51 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:00:55 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I do not agree with the Liberal government giving billions of dollars to oil companies that have made huge profits, record profits, in fact.
We must force the government to invest more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We must invest more money to encourage clean energy and invest in businesses that are tackling the climate crisis. We must not give money to oil companies that are making record profits. We must force the government to do what is necessary.
81 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:13:35 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, it is unbelievable. I was sitting pretty close to the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, but I could barely hear what he was saying because the other member was shouting so much. That being said, let us move on to more serious matters.
I very much appreciate the NDP's position on today's motion. Its approach to the climate emergency is quite similar to the Bloc's. I am pleased to see that we have common ground. However, the NDP is supporting the government's budget, which commits billions of dollars to the oil industry.
I understand that the NDP is getting something out of it, including dental care, and they are very proud of that, but is that not a high price to pay to support a budget that once again allocates billions of dollars to this industry we are denouncing today?
148 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:26:39 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and friend from Repentigny for her speech. She is an extraordinary activist.
This is my first opportunity to speak this afternoon. I would like to thank the Bloc Québécois for raising this issue today. It is a good opportunity to have an important debate. I completely agree with the Bloc on this. The Green Party will obviously be voting in favour of the motion.
I would like to briefly ask my colleague whether she agrees with the Green Party that the federal government needs to state very clearly today that it is not open to allowing new oil development projects anywhere in Canada.
114 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:27:45 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from Saanich—Gulf Islands for her kind words, but I think she knows a lot more about it than me. She is a long-time activist.
Like her and many others, we lament the fact that Canada is an oil-producing country. Sooner or later, it will have to take the leap, change direction and engage in a meaningful transition. I have lost track of the number of years we have been talking about a transition. It is time to stop talking and get started on the transition.
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:29:28 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. He seems very optimistic about what is happening in the United States. It could change completely, depending on who is elected next. I, for one, am not that optimistic.
Now, there was a word missing from his question. He talked about electrifying transportation, but we need to talk about public transportation. That is what is important. That is what is lacking in this country. There is almost no public transport. I once came here by train from Vancouver, and we had to keep stopping to let the oil through. That is not public transportation. Frankly, it is a bit ridiculous. We need public transportation for people who have to travel, and we need to stop always thinking about oil. Of course products and goods have to get through, but it should not always be to the detriment of those who take public transportation.
153 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:43:59 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech, and I thank her party for choosing to debate this motion today. It is especially timely now, with forest fires raging across the country.
Last year, the Liberals gave big oil $20 billion in subsidies.
Does the member have any suggestions for climate solutions that we could invest in, instead of doling out public money to oil companies?
68 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 12:44:37 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her support.
It is important to mention that we have to stop investing in oil companies. The Conservative Party often spreads false information.
At present, the issue is not to act on the basis of false information. We need to spread real information, because we need to take action on climate change right now. That is the important part. The government must take the proper measures, which have to be clear and specific.
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 1:12:13 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech. Once again, there is talk of good intentions and specific measures. However, I want to hear her reaction to the fact that the money her government is currently investing in the energy transition is being made available to oil and gas companies.
As a result, these companies stick around even longer when we should really be investing in actual clean energy, such as renewable energy, to begin a fair transition. What is more, this money should be invested in regions that are currently dependent on oil production, in order to support those populations through the transition.
I would like my colleague to respond to my comment. How does she explain that her government is still funding petroleum-based energy?
130 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 2:28:22 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I feel like I have gone back in time 10 years. No serious person can deny that oil and gas are to blame for some of the terrible tragedies happening around the world, and increasingly right here, too. This obsession with oil comes at a very high price.
Will the Prime Minister agree to halt all forms of funding, direct or indirect, to the oil companies and transfer the money saved to Quebec and the provinces in order to increase funding for research into mitigating the effects of climate change and the measures required to protect ourselves, particularly when it comes to municipal infrastructure?
106 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 2:31:01 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, that would be more believable if the Liberals had not bought the Trans Mountain pipeline and approved the Bay du Nord project.
Listening to the Liberals, it sounds as though everything is sunshine and lollipops. The problem is that the sun is hidden by the smoke. It is getting harder and harder for the Liberals to keep pretending everything is fine when the entire country is burning.
Since 2015, the famous water bombers used to put out fires are not even made in Canada anymore. We are now forced to borrow them from abroad. This government is not prepared to deal with the crises that are coming.
When is this government going to stop subsidizing oil companies and use that money to invest in renewable energy?
129 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 2:41:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, this morning, more than 11,000 Quebeckers were evacuated because of the forest fires. Everyone else also felt the impact of the fires, if only by breathing the ambient air. Climate change is here.
We have a duty to support the victims, but we also have a duty to be consistent. The oil and gas sector is the primary accelerator of climate change. We have to divest from oil and gas. We have no choice.
Since we need to get out of this industry, will the government commit to banning any new oil and gas development and putting an end to searching for deposits?
106 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 2:42:49 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I understand, but the government keeps repeating that it could accelerate the fight against climate change if it did not have to fight the Conservatives. That is true, but things would also move more quickly if it stopped imitating the Conservatives.
Not only is it refusing to divest from oil, it is also looking for new deposits at the bottom of marine refuges. It has just authorized BP to drill off the coast of Newfoundland. Even worse, according to Radio-Canada, the Minister of Natural Resources said that if BP finds oil, he could help them develop it by redrawing the refuge's boundaries.
Will the Minister of Environment and Climate Change immediately correct his colleague?
118 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 2:44:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, blaming the opposition is not going to cut it anymore. Competing over who is the least bad is not going to cut it anymore.
The Conservatives are not the ones authorizing oil exploration in Newfoundland; the government is. The Conservatives are not the ones talking about rejigging the boundaries of a marine refuge to facilitate oil extraction; the government is.
Enough with the blame game. Let us look at what we can do better. We have to get out of oil and gas. Everyone knows that.
Will the government take action that is both concrete and symbolic and announce an end to oil development in marine refuges?
109 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 2:49:10 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canada is on fire, and cities across North America are suffering in the smoke of this unprecedented ecological disaster. The Prime Minister promised the world that Canada would finally get serious about capping our oil and gas emissions, but since then, the environment minister has allowed an increase in production of 109 million barrels a day. Meanwhile, big oil is racking up record profits, firing thousands of workers and switching to automation. Therefore, where is this cap on big oil, and why will this environment minister not stand up for Canadian workers and our fragile planet?
98 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jun/8/23 3:48:27 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for his kind words about the Bloc Québécois's initiative today.
The purpose of this motion was precisely to unite people and to say that, together, we need to do more in the fight against climate change. I am pleased to see that he is going to vote in favour of the motion.
When it comes to climate action, there are simple things that the government can do today. We still see that his government is authorizing oil and gas exploration in marine refuges. These areas are supposed to be protected. These are dozens of square kilometres of water that we have decided to protect, but the government is still allowing oil and gas exploration to see whether there is oil that can be extracted. There is some inconsistency in what the government is saying. They say that they want to do more, but at the same time they are allowing this kind of thing to go on.
Does my colleague agree that his government could stop all oil and gas exploration today?
187 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
