Kent, who appeared at a parliamentary committee Tuesday to discuss the government’s sustainable development strategy, said Canada was making progress because industry is co-operating to improve its environmental performance, despite a fragile economy.
The main oil and gas industry lobby group, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, has written to Environment Canada and other provincial environment departments, asking the governments to back away from a national pollution reduction plan with deadlines for retiring old capital assets in order to meet air quality standards. Instead, the industry has urged the government to only require new standards when companies need to modify or relocate their facilities.
A letter from the association president, Dave Collyer, said in March 2012 that the government proposal on the table, supported by some environmental groups, was “unprecedented” and should be modified because of “increasing concerns” from companies that they would have a negative impact on the competitiveness of Canadian oil and gas industry production.
“Such approaches require companies to invest in and install retrofit technology regardless of the remaining life of the equipment, facility or resource play, which will necessarily result in inefficient use of capital resources,” Collyer wrote in the letter to the deputy environment ministers at the federal and provincial levels.
Kent said Tuesday he has met personally and in groups with oil industry CEOs and that the negotiations were ongoing.
“They are concerned, like all private enterprise companies are, to maximize profits for their shareholders,” Kent said. “But at the same time, I’ve got to say, particularly in the oil and gas sector, I’ve been encouraged.”
He said industry and provincial government representatives have recognized the companies were “prepared to step up and do its part,” in the existing economic context.
“We have to be careful not to wrongfoot Canadian companies in any sector, given our integrated North American market.”
NDP environment critic Megan Leslie disagreed with the minister’s optimism, noting that recently released internal federal records have indicated industry representatives were working closely with the government to get what they wanted in terms of overhauling Canada’s environmental laws over the past year.
“I don’t think that the fragile global economy, as he puts it, hinges on whether a company has to install scrubbers (to reduce pollutants in a facility),” said Leslie. “Time and time again, when I do talk to industry about these tough issues around regulations, they look at me in the eye and say: ‘Regulate it and we’ll do it.’ End of story.”
Kent also defended the government’s climate change policies, highlighting recently adopted regulations to ban conventional coal-fired power plants and tackle their greenhouse gas emissions.
He said several countries — including the United States, the United Kingdom, European economies, Japan, Australia and New Zealand – believed Canada was working “effectively” and showing leadership in international negotiations to tackle climate change.
“We work together,” said Kent. “It’s very collegial.”
Liberal environment critic Kirsty Duncan suggested that Kent should speak with small island nations such as Tuvalu, which describe Canada’s policies and approach as an “act of sabotage” that threatens their livelihood.
“It’s been a campaign of greenwashing their so-called achievements on the environment file on the international stage to please the American and European governments,” said Duncan, referring to Kent’s remarks. “I do not call that respected leadership.”
Kent also told the committee the government is still working with the Alberta government and industry on regulations to address greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas companies that he hopes to introduce later this year.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Mike De Souza
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