QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Weather Disasters and Protection of Property
December 10, 2019
Senator Harder, it’s good to have you back answering questions, but with all due respect to you, I hope that we’ll continue to invite ministers to appear weekly before the Senate. I found that to be a very helpful process of keeping us informed here.
In the last election, Canadians elected a progressive mandate. The progressive Senate group aims to reflect those progressive values in the Senate. That is why I was heartened to hear mention of climate change in last week’s Speech from the Throne.
As a New Brunswicker, I have seen first-hand the toll climate change is taking on our coastal communities. Our province is experiencing changes in temperature, sea levels, coastal erosion, and last spring we saw very significant flooding.
Senator Harder, can you tell us what the government is doing to support New Brunswickers and other Canadians affected by climate change related to natural disasters and other weather-related emergencies, particularly on coastal properties?
I thank the honourable senator for his question. With respect to his preamble, it is certainly my view that a minister in Question Period is an important innovation of the last Parliament. The approach was suggested and trumpeted by Leader Carignan at the time. I hope this is an innovation we will return to in this Parliament. I think it is a useful way for ministers to hear directly from senators and for senators to hear directly from ministers.
I know that ministers have appreciated their Senate Question Period, in particular for how different it was from the Question Period that they enjoy in the other place.
Let me say with respect to your raising climate change, congratulations, I hope we all raise it more often because it is surely the message of the electorate and, frankly, the message from our children and grandchildren that we take action with respect to climate in a more aggressive fashion than we have. That is why the Minister of Environment, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, is in Madrid today for the Chile-hosted COP25 to have the opportunity for Canada to participate directly in collective action. The honourable senator will know that the government has staked a lot of its electoral platform on climate change action, particularly on the pricing of pollution.
With respect to the specific question of coastal mitigation, let me assure the honourable senator that steps were taken, including in the last Parliament on legislative steps, protection of oceans and coastal areas. I would be happy to make inquiries with respect to New Brunswick in particular and report back probably when you and I are no longer asking and answering questions.
