QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Carbon Tax
September 26, 2024
Senator Gold, your government’s carbon tax is adding to an already heavy financial burden facing Canadians after nine years of Justin Trudeau. All you do is belittle critics of this tax and accuse them of being anti-science. Meanwhile, you’ve provided not one shred of evidence of how your carbon tax is fighting climate change or preventing natural disasters.
What we do have is an email from Minister Guilbeault’s office written a couple of months ago, before the Jasper wildfire, in which staff discuss the decision to cancel the planned prescribed burns in Western Canada.
Your government was warned as far back as 2017 that if these burns didn’t take place, a catastrophic fire in Jasper was not a matter of if, but when. You ignored those warnings. You ignored the experts. You ignored science. Why? Is it because you care more about pushing your carbon-tax agenda than you do about taking tangible action to prevent events like this?
Why didn’t you listen to the experts and save Jasper when you had the chance, Senator Gold?
The Government of Canada has a plan in place to address climate change, to address the preamble to your question. Indeed, carbon emissions are coming down.
That is not to suggest, however, that a price on pollution — which is a long-range, well-established, economically viable and grounded principle — is going to reverse the decades of degradation of our environment that have produced the climate change and disasters, and not only in Jasper.
With regard to Jasper, it is important to note that the government has introduced a bill — we will be receiving it soon and debating it quickly — to devolve responsibility to Jasper to deal with the tragedy that affected their community.
Honourable colleagues, let me answer the question for you, and I’ll answer the “why.” The email in question states:
As more and more articles raise public concern about drought conditions, public and political perception may become more important than actual perception windows.
In other words, public and political perception is more important to the Trudeau government than the actual science, yet you want to lecture us and others about playing politics.
The truth is that Justin Trudeau will do anything to hold on to power, Senator Gold. Why won’t you force, once and for all —
Thank you, Senator Housakos.
Senator Gold.
I’m not lecturing you. I won’t lecture you, and I don’t appreciate being lectured either.
The fact is that misleading, irresponsible rhetoric is contributing to the degradation of our political discourse in this country, and Canadians deserve better.
