In wake of China-U.S. deal, NDP grills Aglukkaq on climate change

Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq, who is also the federal environment minister, defended the Harper government’s record on climate change Nov. 17 during question period in the House of Commons. (FILE PHOTO)

Will the Conservatives take real action to further reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions — that’s what New Democratic Party members of Parliament wanted to learn from Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq, during the Nov. 17 question period in the House of Commons, when they accused the Harper government of being “a climate change pariah.”

“The final communiqué from the G20 meetings this weekend calls for strong and effective action to address climate change. That of course was not the message carried by our Prime Minister, even in the face of a historic U.S.-China deal to tackle emissions,” said David Christopherson, NDP member for Hamilton Centre.

“Impatience is growing with the government’s inaction.”

Aglukkaq responded that the Harper government has “always said that for any international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, all major economies and emitters must do their part.”

With the United States and China accounting for 39 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, “we are very encouraged to see they are taking action,” she said.

Because Canada only emits less than two per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Aglukkaq said Canada will continue to “play our part by reducing emissions at home” and work to establish an international agreement that includes all emitters.

But in a second question put to Aglukkaq, Christophersen also suggested the Harper government has stalled on taking “real action on climate change for years,” by arguing that Canada needs to harmonize its oil and gas emissions reduction with the U.S.

“Now that the U.S. is acting, the government is not willing to lift a finger to make meaningful changes to reduce emissions in Canada. This is not leadership,” he said.

To that, Aglukkaq answered that Canada remains committed to “protecting the environment while growing Canada’s economy.”

Aglukkaq’s responses infuriated Nycole Turmel, NDP member for Hull-Aylmer.

“Now that China and the U.S.have signed an agreement, the Conservative Party has become an even bigger climate change pariah,” she said.

She said Canada’s “number one excuse for failing to act just evaporated” when these two nations committed to doing their part.

“When will the government come up with a real plan to tackle climate change?” Turmel asked.

Aglukkaq said Canada is “very proud” of its record.

“Carbon emissions will go down by close to 130 megatonnes from what they would have been under the Liberals, and without introducing a carbon tax by the NDP,” she said.

But that’s missing the mark in emissions reductions as a discussion featured on the Nov. 15 edition of the Global News current affairs show The West Block.

The questions that Aglukkaq answered Nov. 17 followed a Nov. 15 appearance by Colin Carrie, Aglukkaq’s parliamentary secretary, during which host Tom Clark asked if Canada will meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent below 2005 levels in 2020.

Environment Canada projections say Canada will miss that target by 122 megatonnes.

“Well, everybody’s entitled to their own opinion,” said Carrie, adding during the interview that “2020 is far, far away.”

“This is Environment Canada. It’s not an opinion, it’s what your department is saying,” Clark said.