Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I asked the Prime Minister, in question period last week, in relation to the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, whether given the evidence from Environment Canada that there is no chance, given current policies, whether the government will do other than have a 100% fail rate on the target the Prime Minister himself pledged to in 2009.
Is this administration, under the Prime Minister, committed to the pledge he made in Copenhagen?
Colin Carrie: Mr. Speaker, our sector-by-sector regulatory approach is working. It is part of our government’s commitment to protecting the environment while keeping the Canadian economy strong.
Thanks to our actions, carbon emissions will go down by close to 130 megatonnes from what they would have been under the Liberals. This is equivalent to shutting down 37 coal-fired electricity generation plants, and we are accomplishing this without the Liberal and NDP’s $20 billion job-killing carbon tax, which would raise the price of everything.
Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, I am so gratified to have a follow-up question, because this repeated nonsense about bringing down emissions by 130 megatonnes over what they would have been in some imaginary universe is not helpful.
The Prime Minister’s pledge in Copenhagen was straightforward. It was 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. Environment Canada’s data now says levels will be virtually unchanged from 2005 levels in 2020.
The question is simple. Does this administration have any intention of keeping its promise?
Colin Carrie: Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of what our government’s action has accomplished. Since 2006, our government has invested significant funds in more efficient technologies, better infrastructure and adaptation, and clean energy. We have taken action on two of the largest sources of emissions in this country, the transportation and electricity sectors. In fact, in the first 21 years of our coal regulations, we expect a cumulative reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 2.6 million vehicles per year from the road.
We hope that the opposition gets on side with these.