20:20:52 Mr. Richard Harris: Madam Chair, I rise on a point of order. It is obvious that members have plenty of time to ask these questions during their so-called committee inquiry as opposed to wasting the minister's time tonight, who is here to discuss the main estimates in the budget.
     I am sure the people viewing would like to hear questions specifically surrounding the budget. That is, of course, what we are all here for, at least on this side, notwithstanding the nonsense that the Liberal Party and the members opposite want to proceed with.
 20:41:45   Mr. Richard Harris (Cariboo—Prince George, CPC): Madam Chair, it is clear that the Major Project Management Office has been a major step forward in proving the regulatory process for major resource projects, but I am sure that the minister would agree that much more needs to be done.
    Could the minister indicate whether and what future improvements are being proposed?
20:41:45 Mr. Richard Harris (Cariboo—Prince George, CPC): Madam Chair, this government believes in the potential of all regions of the country. Hamilton, Ontario has been hit very hard by the economic downturn. During these times, the manufacturing and auto industries have been very tough.
    Could the minister give an example of what this government is doing to help hard-hit regions like Hamilton, Ontario?
21:03:44 Mr. Richard Harris (Cariboo—Prince George, CPC): Mr. Chair, I would like to perhaps take a moment to congratulate the minister for the superb leadership job that he has given to this important portfolio and the most explanatory response to questions about the estimates that he has given tonight. I am sure the people of Canada appreciate that as we do in the House.
    I would be remiss if I did not say of the deputy minister and her departmental officials their great job in the management of their department and the support for the minister. We are all very proud of the job they have done.
    I would like to take this opportunity to provide to the House a prospectus on some of the challenges that the forest sector has and is facing and on the actions our government is taking to help create a more sustainable and competitive sector for the future.
    The Canadian pulp and paper industry is going through a period of major reconstruction. Challenges in recent years include the declining demand for newsprint, the high Canadian dollar and increased competition from low cost producers.
    The negative effects of these have been further intensified by the recent global recession. While these challenges still exist there is a great potential for new opportunities to drive the Canadian forest sector toward a renewed, more sustainable and competitive future.
    The Government of Canada recognizes this under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our Minister of Natural Resources. We recognize this and that is why we are making well-targeted quality investments that will improve energy efficiency and promote market diversification by developing new renewable energy products and processes all of which will create significant economic and environmental benefits.
    Since 2006 the Government of Canada has allocated over $10 billion, I repeat that, $10 billion to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and protect our environment by investing in green infrastructure, energy efficient clean technology, energy technologies and production of energy products that pollute less.
    Most recently the 2010 budget provides $100 million to help support the commercialization of market ready technologies in the forest sector to create a world-class industry able to compete in tomorrow's bio-economy.
    Let me talk for a moment about the pulp and paper green transformation program. The Canadian pulp and paper sector has made great strides in reducing its environmental footprint.
    This effort must continue. This is why our government has established the pulp and paper green transformation program.
    Under th is program Canadian pulp mills that produce black liquor are eligible to access up to $1 billion to undertake capital investments that improve the energy efficiency of their facilities, their capacity to generate renewable bioenergy and their overall environmental performance.
    The program will also generate new investments in pulp and paper mills throughout the country, making them greener, more sustainable and more competitive and positioning them at the forefront of the bio-economy.
    These are monumental steps that this government has taken in the last three or four years, steps that the previous Liberal government had no idea to take in the 13 years it was in power. I congratulate our Prime Minister and this government for that foresight.
    I would like to cite some examples among the 24 pulp and paper companies in Canada that have received funding under this program. Celgar in the Kootenays of British Columbia, the Government of Canada is investing $40 million in the Celgar Pulp Mill, one of Canada's largest, most modern pulp mills in Castlegar, British Columbia. This investment will allow the mill to generate clean, green energy from forest biomass.
21:08:44 It will also enable the mill to take advantage of waste heat, increase the production of steam from wood waste and increase capacity to generate bioenergy, something we all strive for. With these improvements in place, the mill will generate enough renewable electricity to meet its own needs and supply some energy to the B.C. grid by late 2010.
    Another pulp mill taking advantage of this program is Domtar. Our government is investing $57 million in two capital projects at Domtar Corporation in Kamloops, British Columbia. The project will allow the mill to acquire new equipment and modify existing equipment in order to increase its capacity to produce renewable energy and reduce particulate emissions.
    With this investment, Domtar will improve its environmental performance and contribute to a more sustainable pulp and paper industry in Canada.
    Another pulp company in British Columbia is Howe Sound Pulp and Paper. A $6 million investment by the Government of Canada will allow Howe Sound Pulp and Paper to invest in a series of upgrades to its evaporator to redirect more steam for the production of electricity. By increasing its renewable energy production, the mill is reducing its reliance on natural gas which will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
    The upgrades are also expected to produce in excess of 8,200 megawatt-hours of electrical power, enough energy to power 800 homes a year which the mill can sell to B.C. Hydro. This is a well-planned development.
    This is only the beginning. The federal government has received over 40 applications from companies that want to launch projects in all parts of Canada, right from coast to coast to coast. A number of new announcements will take place in the next few months.
    This is a government with a vision of cleaning up the environment, reducing greenhouse gases, and this is just one of the programs that is making huge steps toward that goal.
    Might I add at this time that I am going to share my time with the members from Tobique—Mactaquac and Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup.
    In conclusion, by supporting the Canadian pulp and paper sector in its ability to become more energy efficient and generate renewable bioenergy, this Conservative government is also helping to save jobs and enhance our capacity to take advantage of future market opportunities.
    This Conservative government is proud to be a partner with companies that are at the forefront of the green transformation taking place throughout the pulp and paper industry.
    I think it is just the most obvious thing that these represent significant investments by this government, billions of dollars by this government in a short 4 year period, when the previous Liberal government had 13 years to tune into the greening of our world and bioenergy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They chose not to get involved in a program like this. In fact the Liberals chose to increase their greenhouse gas emissions. They chose to do nothing and let the greenhouse gas emissions increase. That is a shameful example of environmental stewardship.
    What this Conservative government has done in just the last four years under our Prime Minister and this minister has been a significant investment.
    I would like to ask the minister who has led us down this path to bioenergy and greener transformation to expand on how these—
21:13:44 Mr. Richard Harris: Mr. Chair, could I ask the minister to expand on how these sorts of measures will benefit the forest industry and ensure a successful sector for the future?
21:13:44 I will be happy to respond to the hon. member's question.
    Our government's investment in the pulp and paper green transformation program is one of the many steps we have taken to support forestry workers in communities right now while securing a stable and competitive sector for the future. This program allows pulp and paper mills across Canada to further reduce their environmental footprint while establishing themselves as world leaders in renewable energy production. The example of funded projects mentioned by my colleague demonstrates that this program is delivering real results for communities, for Canadians and for the forest industry as a whole.
    I would like to take this opportunity to mention that we are also building on past investments to drag the industry toward the next generation of renewable energy products and processes.
    In addition to the pulp and paper green transformation program, $170 million is being provided to help our forestry industry develop new products and processes and capitalize on new market opportunities.
    The $100 million recently announced in budget 2010 will help accelerate the development of new technologies to create a more diversified and stronger forest sector that offers a range of new, high volume products in the form of renewable energy. This clearly shows that our government is looking to tomorrow's markets today, working now to drive growth and ensure that Canada emerges a leader in the clean energy economy of tomorrow.
    We understand the importance of Canada's forestry industry to local communities and our national economy. The record shows that right from the beginning our government has taken decisive action to assist Canada's forestry industry while recognizing its important role in tomorrow's bio-economy.