Parliament: Asking the government to step up in the wake of President Trump’s announcement on the Paris Agreement

Elizabeth May

Mr. Speaker, after yesterday’s very disturbing announcement from the rose garden, the surrealistic orchestras striking up on the deck of the Titanic as Trump announced that the U.S. would leave the Paris agreement, which it cannot legally do for four years, it does open up a chasm where there will be insufficient action. There was already insufficient action in the commitments that had been made by all governments in order to meet the Paris accord.

I wonder if the Minister of Environment and Climate Change can commit that Canada is prepared to do more, to look at our targets, to look at our developing country partnerships, and to work with sub-national levels of government within the United States to keep moving to climate action.

Hon. Catherine McKenna – Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her long-time advocacy work on climate change . We are all in this together. We have only one planet. Canada is steadfast in our commitment to the Paris agreement. If the U.S. administration is going to step back, we are going to step up.

I am very happy to announce that, next week, we will be introducing a motion in the House to support the Paris agreement. I certainly hope that all members will stand to indicate their support for our planet.