Reducing Greenhouse Emissions

February 01, 2007

Mr. Speaker,

What I want to speak about today is the importance of clean technology on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

The production and use of energy has created a wealth of economic and social benefits.

Together with two serious environmental challenges—air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

This Conservative Government has made a commitment to address these challenges and, to this end, is investing heavily in energy science and technology, to get results.

The $230 million EcoEnergy Technology Initiative is an important element of the Government’s overall ecoEnergy Initiatives.

It will accelerate the development of technology solutions in clean energy.

Projects under the this Initiative will lead to

• significantly reduced emissions of particulates, and
• gaseous pollutants, and
• toxic substances, and
• greenhouse gases from the production and use of energy.

Most of the projects will be carried out by public-private partnerships.

Mr. Speaker, demand for energy is increasing throughout the world. This is being driven by growing industrialization, particularly in developing countries like China and India.

There is only a finite quantity of fossil fuels and supplies are steadily being diminished. We can use science and technology to assist in making conventional energy sources cleaner at home.

By exporting our technologies to rapidly growing countries, we can obtain a triple benefit:

1. a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions here at home,
2. eductions abroad, and
3. commercial opportunities for our own industries.
   

Canada possesses more energy resources than any other country in the world. We have the world’s second-largest proven oil reserves (in Ft. McMurray), after Saudi Arabia. Almost a third of our oil production now comes from the Alberta oil sands, and is expected to be at 50% by 2015.

• Canada ranks
• third in the world in the production of natural gas,
• second in hydroelectricity, and
• first in uranium.
  

We have excellent power potential from

• wind,
• solar,
• biomass, and
• heat from the earth’s interior.
  

Canada exports nearly half the energy it produces, and energy accounts for about one-seventh of our total exports.

Canada’s production and use of energy is responsible for:

• 85 percent of all smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions,
• 46 percent of acid rain causing sulphur dioxide, and
• 85 percent of greenhouse gases.
  

We know this and this Conservative government wants to fix it.

There is no magic bullet that will result in instant clean air for Canada. We must use an integrated approach that makes full use of every available means.

The Government’s initiative is driven by two engines: regulation and science and technology.

1. Regulation encourages scientific and technological development by setting standards for industry to meet in upgrading products and processes. Industry wants and needs to know the rules.
2. Science and technology determining its course and ensure that the standards imposed by government are realistic and economically sound.
   

Canada needs regulations that are

• responsive,
• coordinated,
• effective, and
• understandable.
  

This is going to happen under this Conservative government’s Clean Air Act.

In the fall of 2006, the Government approved the policy of the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda. This agenda is a comprehensive plan for regulating industrial emissions, as well as new provisions for regulating cars and commercial products.

This Conservative Government is directing its energy technology funds toward three main areas:

Increasing clean energy supplies. Such as solar, wind, small hydro, and bioenergy.
Raising energy efficiency. One of the largest untapped energy sources in Canada is the energy we waste. New energy efficient technologies can increase the availability of energy, reduce environmental damage, and save Canadians a lot of money.
Reducing pollution from conventional energy sources. Such as fossil-fuels.

Within these three main areas, this Government, based on advice from key stakeholders, including the National Advisory Panel on Sustainable Energy Science & Technology, will take leadership on a number of energy priorities.

For example:

1. CO2 sequestration and storage.
2. Clean coal. This is a high-priority opportunity for this government.
3. Clean oil sands production. The Alberta oil sands contain a staggering amount of recoverable energy. Near and dear to my heart; two of my children and almost all of my family live within 30km of these plants.
4. Renewable energy and other clean energy sources. Growth in this sector will be a major improvement.
5. Advanced vehicles, including hydrogen fuel cells and plug-in electric vehicle technologies.
6. Bioenergy. Canada is a leader in a number of bioenergy-related technologies that could be further developed for domestic and international markets.
   

The Science &Technology effort will require the participation of

• industry,
• the universities, and
• federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
  

For these reasons, it falls to the federal government to take the lead in medium- to long-term Science &Technology that

1. carries a higher investment risk,
2. is essential to the public good, and
3. would not otherwise be done.
   

Public-private partnerships with industry, federal, and provincial governments will be forged where interests overlap.

Mr. Speaker, this Conservative Governments investment of $230 million for its ecoEnergy Technology Initiative is a major step in the right direction. Canadians have spoken; they want results.

They will get results from this Prime Minister and this Conservative Government.

Let me conclude by saying how disappointed I am and how disappointed my constituents are with the Liberals failure to act on the environment.

For 13 years they had a chance to take real action on greenhouse gases and air pollution. Sadly, they failed to take action and failed to live up to our international commitments.

Fortunately, Canada’s New Government is taking real action.  We were the first government to say that we are going to start regulating industries not only for greenhouse gas emissions but also for air quality in Canada.

I’m proud to be sitting on the Legislative Committee dealing with C-30.

Is C-30 a good bill?  Yes.  But can we make it tougher and better?  Absolutely. We will cooperate with the other parties to make it better. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues over the coming weeks on making C-30 the best bill possible.   

Thank you.