SoVote

Dec/7/23 10:57:44 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to talk about the ways that the Conservative Party is offside and maybe do bit of contrast for members. If we look at the emissions graph, over the last number of years we have witnessed a shift. The curve is now starting to bend in a direction that I believe Canadians would be very supportive. Had there not been a change in government back in 2015, and under Stephen Harper's leadership, the curve would have continued up by an estimated nine points. Over the last number of years, the line has gone down by seven points under this administration. We are going in the right direction when it comes to greenhouse emissions, which is an important issue to Canadians. In real numbers, I am told it is like 53 megatonnes. For my constituents who are like me, I try to better understand what that means. That is the equivalent of 11 million cars being taken off the road. The population of Manitoba is about 1.3 million people. The population of Saskatchewan, I would guesstimate, is probably somewhere around 1.15 million. The population of the province of Alberta is well over three million, from what I can recall. We could take away every vehicle in the Prairies. Over the last number of years that is 53 megatonnes of GHG, or 11 million vehicles. To me, that speaks volumes about what the government has been able to achieve in a relatively short time span. We were able to achieve that through providing different forms of incentives and programs. I want to highlight the fact that we know Canadians want to participate. I have heard this for many years. I remember being in the Manitoba legislature and we were talking about banning plastic bags. We can look at the banning of single-use plastics, on which this government has moved forward, or our budget measures on financial incentives to support people. Our constituents would like to do more on the environmental front. We have programs like the greener homes grant. The uptake has been fantastic. A number of people in all regions of the country are participating in a program that will ultimately reduces greenhouse gas emissions, again, a budgetary measure. Another program is about electric vehicles. It is interesting when we look at the numbers. Canadians are choosing electric vehicles faster than expected, with 10% of new vehicles being ZEVs in the first half of 2023. These types of vehicles are a dependable form of transportation, with lower operating costs and reducing the environmental footprint. In its budget measures, the federal government has provided incentives. Some of the provinces have done likewise. Canadians are taking advantage of those programs. We have seen a high demand for those vehicles. I would suggest that it has been very successful. When I think of how industry has benefited, two companies that come to mind right away are Stellantis, with the benefits that are being created there, and Volkswagen. Volkswagen is a substantial investment of a private company and both federal and provincial governments. Today, we have the Conservative Party opposing the agreement that we achieved with Volkswagen, contrary to even Doug Ford, but there is a difference, I guess, as the provincial party is a little more progressive than the federal Conservative Party. However, at the end of the day, we can think of the results and the potential that is there when we get companies around the world recognizing that Canada is on the right track when it comes to dealing with emissions. Volkswagen, in many ways, is one of the leaders in the world moving forward in the electrification of vehicles. It made a decision not to go to the United States but to come to Canada and make a serious investment. Once that investment is complete, it will be the largest manufacturing processing facility in Canada and, I am told, even in North America. I think it will be something like 200 football fields. It is going to be a huge plant. We can think of the types of green jobs that are going to be there as a direct result of Volkswagen making that decision. Where is the Conservative Party? It actually opposed what the federal government has done with Volkswagen. Its members do not like the fact that the federal government made a decision to make a financial contribution, even though the Progressive Conservative provincial government of Ontario has done likewise, not to mention the community of St. Thomas itself, which has also come to the table because of infrastructure. This brings real life to an industry that has the potential to grow, and the Conservatives and the climate deniers are completely offside. It is not just the province of Ontario that would benefit. We can think of the minerals involved and the other components. It is not just Ontario or the St. Thomas community that is going to benefit from this. All of Canada, if not directly, will indirectly benefit from this, and it does not stop there. I think of Stellantis and how, in Canada, the industry of electrification of vehicles continues to grow, and those two companies are not alone. Is it any wonder that today we lead the G7 in foreign investment coming into Canada? As a political entity, the Government of Canada recognizes that green jobs are golden jobs going forward, and we need to see those types of investments. As a government, from day one, we have supported Canada's middle class and those aspiring to be a part of it. We want an economy that is going to work for everyone. As the Conservative Party's single focus seems to be on spreading misinformation, filibustering and ultimately playing a destructive force on the floor of the House of Commons, we will continue to be solely focused on having the backs of Canadians and providing the jobs that are going to be there for the future to ensure that life remains affordable and to deal with the issues that we know are important to Canadians. That means, in good part, dealing with the environment in a very real and tangible way.

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Damien Kurek (Battle River—Crowfoot, CPC)

Dec/7/23 11:36:53 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I find it interesting that the Bloc, a party only from Quebec that has never formed government and will never form government, seems to take issue with the fact that Conservatives are calling for very clear and simple answers for why senators, including Senator Petitclerc from Quebec, voted to shut down debate and voted to gut a common-sense Conservative bill, Bill C-234. I would ask the same question of Senator Paula Simons from Alberta. She voted to gut and attack it as the deputy chair of the ag committee. She is the deputy chair of the ag committee in the Senate and she voted to punish farmers. I encourage Canadians to reach out, respectfully of course, and share their opinions with these lawmakers in our country. It is essential that they hear from affected Canadians, whether it is a person who is being forced because of the Liberal Prime Minister's policies to visit a food bank or—

163 words

Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Ms. Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona, NDP)

Dec/7/23 2:15:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am a proud Albertan. My grandfather, Bert McCoy, was a pioneer in oil and gas. My father, my brother and my husband all worked in the oil and gas sector. While I am a proud Albertan, I am very concerned about our uncertain future. Albertans need a sustainable future with a healthy environment and a diversified economy, but in order to achieve this, we need federal leadership and support, because Danielle Smith and the Conservatives are taking us backward. Alberta Conservatives have stopped renewable energy development, driving away billions in investment and thousands of good jobs. They have brought back coal, inviting foreign investments to decapitate our Rocky Mountains and poison our water. They are putting toxic tailings ponds on top of sensitive environments like the McClelland dam. Albertans deserve better. The Albertans I know, the problem solvers, the builders, the innovators and the entrepreneurs, deserve better.

150 words

Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Lib.)

Dec/7/23 3:10:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will start by noting that the importation of oil is at half the level now than it was under Stephen Harper, so maybe he wants to check some of his facts. A cap on oil and gas production is about reducing emissions in line with what science tells us we must, but doing so in a manner that will enhance the economic competitiveness of the sector while ensuring that we are decarbonizing the industry such that the barrels of oil and natural gas that Canada will sell to the world will have the lowest carbon content in barrels of gas. I would point to the successes recently of an $11.5-billion Dow facility, a net-zero petrochemical facility in Alberta and many others.

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Ms. Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona, NDP)

Dec/7/23 3:41:50 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have just joined the debate for the last few minutes, listening to my colleague speak, and I heard my friend from southern Alberta, the province I am from, speaking about irrigation and the need for it. I have to say that the carbon levy is supposed to be part of a more comprehensive climate change strategy. I, like the member from Medicine Hat, will question whether this has been enough from the current Liberal government, because we have not seen from the government real action on climate change that has reduced emissions. The member brought up the idea that we need to deal with irrigation. Alberta has just had the driest November in a century because of the impacts of climate change. This is the same province that now has a Conservative government trying to coal mine the Rocky Mountains, which would destroy the irrigation from the Oldman River for southern Alberta. The Conservatives do not want to deal with the climate change aspect, which we have to deal with if we are going to be working with farmers. I would like my colleague from the Liberal Party to perhaps comment on the fact that the Liberals have not been able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at all, and the fact that the Conservatives will not even admit there is a problem.

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