Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2021-05-26 17:30:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Arnold Viersen (Peace River\u2014Westlock, CPC)",
        "fr": "M. Arnold Viersen (Peace River\u2014Westlock, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"6741092\" data-originallang=\"en\">Madam Speaker, I want to begin my speech by addressing some of the things that we heard from the Green Party member just before this. He was talking about stranded assets. The eastern part of Canada could be significantly stranded if Line 5 gets shut down, and that is the reality.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741093\" data-originallang=\"en\">He was talking about oil and gas being a sunset industry. That may be true, but that sunset is not likely to happen until several hundred years from now. We are still seeing an increase in demand for oil production around the world. Even if one believes all the projections, that increase in demand, not a reduction in demand, will continue for the next 30 years at a minimum.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741094\" data-originallang=\"en\">What better place to get those hydrocarbons from than Canada? We have some of the most ethically produced oil on the face of the planet, with some of the lowest-carbon-intensity oil, right here in Canada. Never mind the fact that we are importing hydrocarbons from around the world to continue to supply Canada. That alone seems to be ridiculous, in my opinion. We are an energy-rich country. We have endless amounts of natural resources in this country, yet we rely on other countries to supply our energy.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741095\" data-originallang=\"en\">In the case of Line 5, we are relying on another country to keep the licensing going for that particular pipeline. As far as I know, right now that pipeline is operating illegally. The most recent Line 5 news is that the easement through the State of Michigan has been revoked, but the pipeline continues to operate. We are hanging in limbo as we go forward.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741096\" data-originallang=\"en\">I am speaking to Bill <a data-HoCid=\"11283337\" href=\"/bills/43-2/C-30/\" title=\"An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 19, 2021 and other measures\">C-30</a>, which is the budget implementation act. It has been fascinating to listen to all of the discussion around this particular budget. We hear repeatedly from folks about the subsidization of the oil and gas industry. I was just discussing with one of the Bloc members how the government subsidizes oil and gas, but does not subsidize the forestry industry. I have not seen any direct subsidies to the oil and gas industry, with the exception of buying a pipeline.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741097\" data-originallang=\"en\">The Trans Mountain pipeline was being built by private industry. Due to the actions of the government, the pipeline was no longer to be built. The government subsequently bought that project. If that is what the Bloc member meant by subsidizing oil and gas, I get it. I do not think we need to be publicly funding pipelines either. Pipelines have been built successfully in this country for generations by private industry, and I would assume that would continue.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741098\" data-originallang=\"en\">The Bloc member was commenting about the forestry industry in Quebec. In Northern Alberta, the forestry industry is a big contributor to jobs and the economy. Oil and gas are a shiny spot in our economy, but Alberta's economy is diversified. Where I come from, we do the three Fs: forestry, farming and fracking. Those are the big job creators in my area, and they are basically what support all of the population in the area. I am always interested in the challenges we see.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741099\" data-originallang=\"en\">One aspect of this budget implementation act is the removal of interest on the apprenticeship loans that have been given out. I think that is a noble cause. I am the product of one of the apprenticeship programs in Alberta. I was one of the first to go through the rapid apprenticeship program when it was introduced back in 2003. I got my automotive ticket from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741100\" data-originallang=\"en\">The apprenticeship programs we have developed in Alberta are world-renowned and recognized. There is also the good work of NAIT, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. I went through there in classes full of apprentices.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741101\" data-originallang=\"en\">Many of my friends have been apprentices. I got my journeyman's ticket back in 2007, so I know about the life of an apprentice. The beauty of apprenticeship programs is that people typically get to work while they are getting their training. Believe me, all of the apprentices I know are tradesmen. They are proud of what they do. They work with their hands. They would all very much appreciate having jobs right now, rather than having the interest on their loans waived. While I appreciate that in this particular bill, I do not see a lot in this bill that will get these people back to work.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741102\" data-originallang=\"en\">I call Line 5 the magic pipeline because it has changed the Liberal rhetoric on pipelines dramatically. The Liberals are now starting to sound like Conservatives: Pipelines are the safest way to move petroleum products. If we did not have this pipeline there would be 8,000 rail cars and 15,000 tanker trucks on the road.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741103\" data-originallang=\"en\">There is one way to get all of these apprentices back to work, and that is to start building some of the pipeline projects that had been proposed and were ready to be built back in 2015. One, in particular, runs parallel to Line 5 and is called energy east. That pipeline was ready to be built back in 2015 when I was first elected. The Liberals kiboshed that project, but we do not see anything. We do not see a repeal of Bill <a data-HoCid=\"9630600\" href=\"/bills/42-1/C-69/\" title=\"An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts\">C-69</a>: the \u201cno more pipelines\u201d bill. That would have been something they could have put in the budget to promote the development of our natural resources, promote jobs and promote private industry spending its own capital to get folks back to work and get us back to the lifestyle we were used to before COVID.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741104\" data-originallang=\"en\">This seems like a prime opportunity to get us all back to work. It would ensure that we would have apprentices across the country making paycheques and being able to pay the interest on their student loans by going back to work. They could be raising their families, making money and doing all of the things that they do. I do not see a lot of those kinds of initiatives in this particular bill.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741105\" data-originallang=\"en\">One thing that I saw in the budget was around the home renovation tax credit. I was hopeful we would get some details on it in this bill, but they are not evident. It was an initiative that the Conservatives undertook during the last great recession. We rapidly passed the home renovation tax credit, which allowed people to update their windows, insulation and other kinds of things. It could also be thought of as a green initiative. It was in the budget. We were talking about a particular $5,000 tax credit on a $40,000 loan. We do not see details of that in this particular bill, so I am disappointed about that.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741106\" data-originallang=\"en\">Lastly, I want to talk a little about equalization. This bill touches on equalization, and on what is called the federal-provincial transfer act. One of the things that Albertans have been requesting for a number of years is the removal of the cap on that financial stabilization program. It is currently capped at $60. The Liberals have moved that cap to $166. That is a movement in the right direction, but there still is no logic as to why there is a cap on the equalization stabilization program. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741107\" data-originallang=\"en\">Why is there a cap? If a province is suffering under duress and having less revenue than it had in the past, the stabilization program is there to maintain funding for programs while we go through a dip in revenue. Nobody can explain the logic for why there is a cap on that. We see that the government has acknowledged that maybe the cap is too low and it is going to raise the cap to $166, but the Liberals do not provide us with any logic whatsoever as to why there needs to be a cap on that program. If government revenues in a particular province are suffering in a major depression, the stabilization program is supposed to balance that out and ease the pain of that. Why would it have a cap on it? There has been no logic whatsoever provided for that. I am also quite frustrated by that.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741108\" data-originallang=\"en\">I see that my time is up. I am always grateful to represent the people of Peace River\u2014Westlock.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"6741092\" data-originallang=\"en\">Madame la Pr\u00e9sidente, je tiens tout d\u2019abord \u00e0 r\u00e9agir aux propos que vient de tenir le d\u00e9put\u00e9 du Parti vert. Il parlait d\u2019actifs d\u00e9laiss\u00e9s. L\u2019Est du Canada pourrait se sentir bien d\u00e9laiss\u00e9 si la canalisation 5 est ferm\u00e9e, et c\u2019est la r\u00e9alit\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741093\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il a d\u00e9crit le secteur p\u00e9trolier et gazier comme \u00e9tant en d\u00e9clin. C\u2019est peut-\u00eatre vrai, mais il ne dispara\u00eetra pas avant des centaines d\u2019ann\u00e9es. Nous voyons la demande de production de p\u00e9trole encore augmenter dans le monde. M\u00eame si l\u2019on croit toutes les projections, cette augmentation de la demande, car elle ne diminue pas, continuera pendant les 30 ans \u00e0 venir au minimum.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741094\" data-originallang=\"en\">O\u00f9 se procurer ces hydrocarbures sinon au Canada? Nous avons le p\u00e9trole produit de la fa\u00e7on la plus \u00e9thique du monde, et notre p\u00e9trole fait partie de ceux qui ont la plus faible intensit\u00e9 de carbone. Oublions que nous importons des hydrocarbures du monde entier pour continuer d\u2019approvisionner le Canada. Cela me semble ridicule. Notre pays est riche en \u00e9nergie. Nous avons d\u2019infinies quantit\u00e9s de ressources naturelles, mais nous d\u00e9pendons d\u2019autres pays pour notre approvisionnement en \u00e9nergie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741095\" data-originallang=\"en\">En ce qui concerne la canalisation 5, nous d\u00e9pendons d\u2019un autre pays pour conserver l\u2019autorisation de ce pipeline. Pour autant que je sache, ce pipeline est actuellement exploit\u00e9 ill\u00e9galement. Selon les nouvelles les plus r\u00e9centes concernant la canalisation 5, la servitude passant par l\u2019\u00c9tat du Michigan a \u00e9t\u00e9 r\u00e9voqu\u00e9e, mais le pipeline continue de fonctionner. Nous sommes dans les limbes pour l\u2019avenir.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741096\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je parle du projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"11283337\" href=\"/bills/43-2/C-30/\" title=\"An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 19, 2021 and other measures\">C-30</a>, la Loi d\u2019ex\u00e9cution du budget. Il a \u00e9t\u00e9 fascinant d\u2019\u00e9couter toutes les discussions concernant ce budget. Les gens ne cessent d\u2019\u00e9voquer les subventions accord\u00e9es au secteur p\u00e9trolier et gazier. Je discutais justement avec l\u2019un des d\u00e9put\u00e9s du Bloc du fait que le gouvernement subventionne le p\u00e9trole et le gaz, mais pas l\u2019industrie foresti\u00e8re. Je n\u2019ai vu aucune subvention directe au secteur p\u00e9trolier et gazier, si ce n\u2019est l\u2019achat d\u2019un pipeline.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741097\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le secteur priv\u00e9 construisait le pipeline Trans Mountain. En raison des actions du gouvernement, la construction du pipeline allait \u00eatre interrompue. Le gouvernement a donc achet\u00e9 le projet. Si c\u2019est ce que le d\u00e9put\u00e9 du Bloc voulait dire en parlant de subventionner le p\u00e9trole et le gaz, je comprends. Je ne pense pas non plus que nous devrions financer les pipelines par le Tr\u00e9sor public. Le secteur priv\u00e9 a construit des pipelines avec succ\u00e8s dans ce pays depuis des g\u00e9n\u00e9rations, et je suppose que ce sera encore le cas.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741098\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le d\u00e9put\u00e9 bloquiste parlait de l\u2019industrie foresti\u00e8re au Qu\u00e9bec. Dans le nord de l\u2019Alberta, l\u2019industrie foresti\u00e8re contribue grandement \u00e0 l\u2019emploi et \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9conomie. Les projecteurs sont braqu\u00e9s sur le p\u00e9trole et le gaz dans notre \u00e9conomie, mais l\u2019\u00e9conomie de l\u2019Alberta est diversifi\u00e9e. D\u2019o\u00f9 je viens, nous avons les trois F: la foresterie, les fermes et la fracturation. Ce sont les principaux cr\u00e9ateurs d\u2019emplois dans ma r\u00e9gion et ce sont essentiellement eux qui font vivre toute la population de la r\u00e9gion. Je m\u2019int\u00e9resse toujours aux d\u00e9fis que nous rencontrons.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741099\" data-originallang=\"en\">L\u2019\u00e9limination des int\u00e9r\u00eats sur les pr\u00eats accord\u00e9s pour l\u2019apprentissage est l\u2019un des \u00e9l\u00e9ments de cette Loi d\u2019ex\u00e9cution du budget. \u00c0 mon sens, c\u2019est une noble cause. Je suis le produit de l\u2019un des programmes d\u2019apprentissage de l\u2019Alberta. J\u2019ai \u00e9t\u00e9 l\u2019un des premiers \u00e0 suivre le programme d\u2019apprentissage acc\u00e9l\u00e9r\u00e9 lorsqu\u2019il a \u00e9t\u00e9 lanc\u00e9 en 2003. J\u2019ai obtenu ma certification en m\u00e9canique automobile du Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741100\" data-originallang=\"en\">Les programmes d\u2019apprentissage que nous avons cr\u00e9\u00e9s en Alberta sont r\u00e9put\u00e9s et reconnus dans le monde entier. Il y a aussi le bon travail du NAIT, le Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Je suis pass\u00e9 dans des classes remplies d\u2019apprentis.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741101\" data-originallang=\"en\">Beaucoup de mes amis ont \u00e9t\u00e9 des apprentis. J\u2019ai obtenu ma carte de compagnon en 2007, je connais donc la vie d\u2019un apprenti. La beaut\u00e9 des programmes d\u2019apprentissage, c\u2019est que les gens ont g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement l\u2019occasion de travailler pendant qu\u2019ils suivent leur formation. Croyez-moi, tous les apprentis que je connais sont des gens de m\u00e9tier. Ils sont fiers de ce qu\u2019ils font. Ils travaillent de leurs mains. Ils aimeraient beaucoup avoir un emploi d\u00e8s maintenant, au lieu d\u2019\u00eatre dispens\u00e9s de payer des int\u00e9r\u00eats sur leurs pr\u00eats. Je suis reconnaissant que cela figure dans ce projet de loi particulier, mais je n\u2019y vois pas grand-chose qui permettra \u00e0 ces gens de retrouver du travail.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741102\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je qualifie la canalisation 5 de pipeline magique parce qu\u2019elle a radicalement chang\u00e9 le discours des lib\u00e9raux \u00e0 propos des pipelines. Les lib\u00e9raux commencent maintenant \u00e0 parler comme des conservateurs: les pipelines sont le moyen le plus s\u00fbr de transporter des produits p\u00e9troliers. Si nous n\u2019avions pas ce pipeline, il y aurait 8 000 wagons sur les voies de chemin de fer et 15 000 camions-citernes sur les routes.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741103\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il existe une fa\u00e7on qui permettrait \u00e0 tous ces apprentis de retourner au travail, c\u2019est-\u00e0-dire commencer les travaux de construction de certains projets de pipelines qui ont \u00e9t\u00e9 propos\u00e9s et dont la construction aurait pu commencer en 2015. Un projet en particulier longe la canalisation 5. Il s\u2019agit du projet \u00c9nergie Est. La construction de ce projet aurait pu commencer en 2015, lorsque j'ai \u00e9t\u00e9 \u00e9lu pour la premi\u00e8re fois. Les lib\u00e9raux ont torpill\u00e9 le projet. Cependant, nous n\u2019avons rien vu. Le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"9630600\" href=\"/bills/42-1/C-69/\" title=\"An Act to enact the Impact Assessment Act and the Canadian Energy Regulator Act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts\">C-69</a> n\u2019a pas \u00e9t\u00e9 abrog\u00e9. C\u2019\u00e9tait le projet de loi \u00ab plus jamais de pipelines \u00bb. Ils auraient pu ajouter ces initiatives au budget, afin de promouvoir l\u2019exploitation de nos ressources naturelles, les emplois et les d\u00e9penses par l\u2019industrie priv\u00e9e de ses propres capitaux pour permettre aux gens de retourner au travail et de retrouver le style de vie auquel ils \u00e9taient habitu\u00e9s avant la COVID.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741104\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous disposons d\u2019une occasion unique de tous retourner au travail. Nous pourrions garantir que les apprentis partout au pays re\u00e7oivent un ch\u00e8que de paie et qu\u2019ils sont en mesure de payer les int\u00e9r\u00eats de leurs pr\u00eats \u00e9tudiants en retournant au travail. Ils pourraient \u00e9lever leurs enfants, faire de l\u2019argent et r\u00e9aliser toutes leurs activit\u00e9s. Ce projet de loi ne comporte pas, \u00e0 ce que je peux voir, un grand nombre de ce type d\u2019initiatives.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741105\" data-originallang=\"en\">Parmi les points que j\u2019ai vus dans le budget, il y avait un cr\u00e9dit d\u2019imp\u00f4t pour la r\u00e9novation domiciliaire. J\u2019esp\u00e9rais qu\u2019on obtienne des d\u00e9tails \u00e0 ce sujet dans le pr\u00e9sent projet de loi, mais ils ne sont pas mis en \u00e9vidence. Il s\u2019agissait d\u2019une initiative lanc\u00e9e par les conservateurs au cours de la derni\u00e8re grande r\u00e9cession. Nous avions adopt\u00e9 rapidement le cr\u00e9dit d\u2019imp\u00f4t pour la r\u00e9novation domiciliaire, qui permettait aux gens de remplacer leurs fen\u00eatres, leur isolation et d\u2019autres composantes. On pouvait aussi le consid\u00e9rer comme une initiative \u00e9cologique. Il \u00e9tait dans le budget. Nous parlions d\u2019un cr\u00e9dit d\u2019imp\u00f4t de 5 000 $ pour un pr\u00eat de 40 000 $. Ce projet de loi n\u2019offre pas de d\u00e9tails \u00e0 ce sujet. J\u2019en suis d\u00e9\u00e7u.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741106\" data-originallang=\"en\">Enfin, j\u2019aimerais parler un peu de la p\u00e9r\u00e9quation. Ce projet de loi touche \u00e0 la p\u00e9r\u00e9quation, et sur ce qu\u2019on appelle la loi sur les transferts entre le gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral et les provinces. Parmi les demandes pr\u00e9sent\u00e9es depuis des ann\u00e9es par les Albertains, il y a l\u2019\u00e9limination du plafond de ce programme de stabilisation fiscale. Le plafond est actuellement fix\u00e9 \u00e0 60 $. Les lib\u00e9raux l'ont fait passer \u00e0 166 $. C\u2019est un pas dans la bonne direction. Cependant, il n\u2019existe aucune raison logique expliquant pourquoi un plafond est impos\u00e9 dans le cadre du programme de stabilisation fiscale.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741107\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pourquoi un plafond existe-t-il? Si une province \u00e9prouve des difficult\u00e9s et obtient moins de revenus que dans le pass\u00e9, le programme de stabilisation sert \u00e0 maintenir le financement des programmes pendant la p\u00e9riode caract\u00e9ris\u00e9e par la baisse des revenus. Personne ne peut expliquer pourquoi il existe un plafond. Le gouvernement a reconnu que ce plafond est peut-\u00eatre trop bas et veut le faire passer \u00e0 166 $. Cependant, les lib\u00e9raux ne nous fournissent pas de raison logique justifiant le maintien d\u2019un plafond dans le cadre de ce programme. Si les revenus du gouvernement d\u2019une province en particulier sont touch\u00e9s lors d\u2019une importante r\u00e9cession, le programme de stabilisation est cens\u00e9 \u00e9tablir un \u00e9quilibre et att\u00e9nuer les cons\u00e9quences de la baisse. Pourquoi devrait-il \u00eatre dot\u00e9 d\u2019un plafond? Aucune raison logique n\u2019est fournie pour expliquer cette situation. Cela me frustre.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"6741108\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je vois que mon temps de parole est \u00e9coul\u00e9. Je suis toujours reconnaissant de repr\u00e9senter les gens de Peace River\u2014Westlock.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2021/5/26/arnold-viersen-2/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/arnold-viersen/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4303/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "11337006",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Government Orders",
        "fr": "Ordres \u00e9manant du gouvernement"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1",
        "fr": "Loi no 1 d'ex\u00e9cution du budget de 2021"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2021/5/26/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2021%2F5%2F26%2F"
    }
}