Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, this is a question about math and red herrings.
Yesterday, the minister said our greenhouse gases would be 130 megatonnes less than what they would have been under the Liberals. That number, picked out of the air, is known as the “business as usual” target.
Here is the math. The Copenhagen pledge made by this Prime Minister, no previous prime minister, was to reduce emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. Environment Canada now says that by 2020, emission levels will be virtually unchanged.
Is Canada still committed to the Copenhagen target? Why does this minister seem to believe that business as usual is government under some other party?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq : Mr. Speaker, our government is taking action to address climate change.
Since 2006, we have invested more than $10 billion in green infrastructure, energy efficiency, adaptation, cleaner technology, and cleaner fuels. Thanks to our actions, carbon emissions will go down by 130 megatonnes from what they would have been under the Liberal government.
We are accomplishing this without the Liberal and NDP carbon tax, which would raise the price of everything.