Do you believe that climate change is a real and urgent crisis?

Dear Friends,

If you don’t have a plan for the environment, you don’t have a plan for Canadians. We can see the effects of climate change through severe weather across Canada. From forest fires, and extreme droughts, to sea level rise and flooding – Canada is at a crisis point.

Today, Minister McKenna put this Government Motion on the notice paper for debate:

No. 29 — May 13, 2019 — The Minister of Environment and Climate Change — That the House recognize that: (a) climate change is a real and urgent crisis, driven by human activity, that impacts the environment, biodiversity, Canadians’ health, and the Canadian economy; (b) Canadians are feeling the impacts of climate change today, from flooding, wildfires, heat waves and other extreme weather events which are projected to intensify in the future; (c) climate change impacts communities across Canada, with coastal, northern and Indigenous communities particularly vulnerable to its effects; and (d) action to support clean growth and meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all parts of the economy are necessary to ensure a safer, healthier, cleaner and more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren; and, therefore, that the House declare that Canada is in a national climate emergency which requires, as a response, that Canada commit to meeting its national emissions target under the Paris Agreement and to making deeper reductions in line with the Agreement’s objective of holding global warming below two degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

As you can see, we’re calling upon all Members in the House of Commons to join us and acknowledge that climate change is a real and urgent crisis. And to support Canada’s commitment to meeting our “national emissions target under the Paris Agreement and to making deeper reductions in line with the Agreement’s objective of holding global warming below two degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.”

The debate will take place this week, and I hope that all sides will acknowledge the science and the facts of this climate crisis, and pass the motion without delay, unanimously.

Our Government is taking strong action to protect Canada’s environment, and we’ve grown the economy in the process. Canada’s economy has generated one million new jobs, most full-time since we took office. Climate change may be the world’s greatest threat but taking climate action is a major economic opportunity! We can spur innovation by investing in clean technology, and in the clean economy. And the clean technology industry in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour is booming.

Canada’s Clean Growth and Climate Change plan is a plan developed with Canadians, by Canadians. It’s a plan built on strong science, and engagement with experts, provinces and territories, Indigenous Leaders, environmentalists, industry and scientists. It’s an ambitious and practical plan for a cleaner future. We’re making polluters pay, reducing emissions, and we’re working to make our communities healthier and more resilient to extreme weather.

We’re making historic investments in transit, including here in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour. Since the election I’ve announced millions for new busses, transit infrastructure improvements, new ferries, and upgrades at the Dartmouth Ferry Terminal.

Protecting Canada’s natural wilderness is a big part of our climate plan. Last year’s budget included a $1.3 billion investment to protect Canada’s natural spaces. It’s the largest investment in Canadian history for nature conservation. Recently I had the honour of announcing more than $800,000 to protect many hectares of land for Nova Scotia’s Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Park. These places matter to Nova Scotians, and they matter to our Government.