Hon. Pamela Wallin: The international consensus, minister, is clear — including experts such as the International Energy Agency and even your own colleagues, such as Minister O’Regan — that the path to net zero before 2050 must include the full range of energy solutions, including nuclear. You assert that Ottawa has no role and that only markets develop sources, but we all know that the federal government does have a role in recognizing, funding and ensuring the positive green impact from nuclear.

Minister, you have publicly and vociferously opposed nuclear power most of your life. Is that still your belief?

Hon. Salma Ataullahjan: Minister, your climate plan heralds the expertise Canada has long had in nuclear energy and small, modular reactors, or SMRs, in particular. It also talks about working with the European Union and the U.K. to explore the advancement of the safe and secure zero-emission technology. Now, more than ever, that would seem to be an urgent matter.

Minister, have you explored with the European countries that depend upon Russia for energy the export of Canadian small, modular reactor expertise and technology to reduce and even eliminate that dependency? If not, then why not?

Hon. Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Environment and Climate Change: Thank you, senator. I think I answered that question earlier when I said that my government is supporting research and development in various non-emitting sectors, including nuclear. As I said, governments do not decide which technologies are going to make it or not make it on the market. Markets decide which technologies are going to make it.

We are supporting a whole range of new technologies in terms of research and development, but we are not subsidizing the production of said energy. This is done by provinces and territories in terms of development. But we are putting in place a framework to ensure that non-emitting technologies play a more important role in our energy portfolio, and that’s what we’re doing.

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