Nathalie Provost

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his important question. As a Quebecker and a former employee of Quebec's environment ministry, I am very pleased to answer it today. Our proposal is simply about speeding up the response. Quebec's environment ministry wanted to review its own environmental laws and its environmental impact assessment legislation. It has the same goal, specifically, one year. That is all we are doing. Laws and regulations are not being repealed. When we grant ourselves powers, conditions will be attached. We will be rigorous and—

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today. I will be speaking in the context of this debate on Bill C‑39. I am going to focus on the part that deals with environmental protection. Between the fall of 2015 and the spring of 2025, I had the honour of serving as director general of Quebec's ministry of environment and climate change. During those 10 years, I learned about, discovered and explored all sorts of areas of environmental protection, including industry, transportation and infrastructure. I also worked with committed and dedicated professionals who understand very well the importance of enforcing environmental laws and regulations. That is the lens through which I would like us to discuss the bill before us today. In Quebec, there was a proposal in 2015 to review the Environment Quality Act. One of the major challenges was the issue of predictability and transparency in issuing authorizations. Quebec committed to fast-tracking and reviewing its processes in that respect. Interestingly enough, that is the very topic that the Government of Canada is focusing on in this bill, because it is absolutely essential if we are to be able to carry out projects quickly. Since our colleagues in the House are constantly raising the issue of the speed of our decision-making, it is absolutely essential that we give ourselves the means to make decisions efficiently and quickly, so that developers can build our country and public institutions can swiftly carry out the projects that are essential to the establishment and development of our economic autonomy. I just want to remind my colleagues of Quebec's objectives, which are public. The Declaration of services to citizens and businesses states that a permit should be issued within 75 days for any project with moderate environmental impact. In Quebec, the target for the revised Impact Assessment Act is nine months. We are hoping that decisions will be reached within a one-year timeline. That is essentially the process being considered here, not the rigour with which regulations are enforced, and certainly not an encroachment on provincial decisions. We want to be able to move quickly and provide all developers with accurate information so they can help build Quebec. Since the beginning of their history, Canadians have built Canada. Previous generations have undertaken projects that have transformed the country. The national railway, which connected communities, helped establish Canada as a continental country. The Trans-Canada Highway is a great example of a project that connected our regions and strengthened economic ties from coast to coast to coast. Then there is the St. Lawrence Seaway. We have some great examples of projects that have been completed and have helped build our country. That is what we need to do today. We need to do this if we want to become an energy powerhouse. We are going to do this with projects that use fossil fuels, but we are going to transform them with projects that reduce their carbon footprint. We are going to reduce methane emissions. On top of that, we will be able to implement clean electricity projects. The Churchill Falls project is not isolated only to Quebec. This project will enable us to produce energy that can be delivered to Canadians in the Maritimes and Ontario and that we could even sell to our economic partners. This is important if we want to be able to meet our net-zero targets. To be able to carry out projects effectively and efficiently, we need to have the means to respond quickly so that we can meet these commitments. That is why we are making these decisions. We are streamlining processes and consolidating permit applications that stem from various initiatives. In addition, we are finding a way to incorporate them in the same decision. This will have no impact on provincial regulatory frameworks. The regulatory frameworks of the provinces involved in a project must and will apply. I have some examples. In 2024, Bombardier wanted to relocate its warehouse and found a very interesting piece of land in Saint-Philippe. That project needed to be built quickly given Bombardier's various challenges and deadlines. Rosefellow, which was Bombardier's developer, succeeded and we managed to incorporate the entire analysis under the Species at Risk Act within 75 days. We got involved early in the project and found solutions. Without the ability to incorporate feedback from colleagues and make decisions quickly, Bombardier would not have set up operations in the Montérégie region, and the project, which was announced this summer and is now up and running, not long after it was conceived, would not have come to fruition. When we read the impact assessment for the port of Contrecoeur, we see everything that was done to ensure alignment and connection with Quebec's laws and regulations. The agreement to protect the copper redhorse was made in agreement with Quebec. We are not substituting or erasing Quebec's constitutional rights. We are proactively working with Quebec so that authorizations are efficient and so that proponents can move forward. Another example involves the Quebec Central Railway, which connects Lévis and Thetford Mines. It was a project to rehabilitate a rail line, but it ran into some problems. Some of the land on which the rail line was built contained asbestos tailings, which fall under Quebec's legislation. Although this was a federal project, Quebec's laws were applied, and Quebec authorizations were used. There is therefore a way to work in a fast, predictable and clear context. This will allow us to proceed much more efficiently. People have been calling for this. We are introducing this today because there is a tariff crisis, but there are also other crises. We need to take back control of our economy and boost our productivity. The whole issue of environmental approvals means that we need to be able to do this properly. I would be remiss if I did not emphasize how central our partnership with indigenous peoples remains to these efforts. Indigenous communities must play a key role in shaping projects that affect their lands, their rights and their future. We can coordinate projects based on clear processes, and we will be able to secure a strong commitment that provides a great deal of certainty to all parties involved. Let me conclude with this final point. These proposals have been shaped by a deep commitment. Over the past few months, our government has listened to indigenous peoples, provincial and territorial governments, workers, businesses, industry representatives and Canadians across the country. Canadians emphasized the importance of improving the efficiency of federal processes while maintaining environmental safeguards and respecting indigenous rights. Stakeholders highlighted the need for greater certainty, clear timelines, strong supply chains and modern frameworks that can support future growth. That made sense to us, which is why the bill before Parliament reflects what we learned from those conversations and seeks to seize the opportunities before us and address the challenges facing our country. Urgent action is required, and that is why we are introducing this bill. We are confident that Canada can make decisions in a timely manner and provide reliable infrastructure. This is not just about improving processes. It is about preparing our country for the future. Let us build a competitive economy, create more opportunities for workers and communities, strengthen our ties at home and abroad and ensure that Canada remains a country where we can achieve great things together.

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear my colleague say that our government is dragging its feet. I have not been a member of Parliament for very long, but in the few months since we took office, there has already been some acknowledgement of our government's ability to introduce laws and regulations for Canadians. It is important to create the right conditions. That is Parliament's role. My role is not to pick up a shovel and start digging to build a railway track or a power transmission corridor. My role is to create the proper conditions so that developers who want help build Canada can do so. That is what we are doing here today.

Mr. Speaker, if we read the content of Bills C-5 and C-39 carefully, we can see that they work on the assumption that projects can be developed in keeping with legal requirements while allowing sufficient time for determining the conditions surrounding their implementation. This approach, which resembles what in Quebec is known as the pre-tabling of authorizations, is quite common in countries that take a strict and streamlined approach to environmental approvals. We are familiar with the projects, and we do not want to expose them to legal challenges; we simply want to create the conditions necessary to meet environmental requirements.

Mr. Speaker, we have not said much about it, but almost half if not more of the projects discussed at the 2026 Canada Investment Summit that elicited considerable interest are projects focused on renewable energy. However, to get these renewable energy projects built quickly and efficiently, and for Canadians to reap the full benefits, it is essential that proponents be given the tools they need to take effective action. As a reminder, these timelines and this integrated work approach are already part of the philosophy espoused by Quebec's environment ministry.

Mr. Speaker, the research chair in taxation and public finance said today that Canada is still resilient in spite of everything. It is true that Quebec has been deeply affected by the trade war with the United States, but we have managed to pivot. We have succeeded in redirecting exports that used to go to the United States towards European countries, and the same is true for Quebec. Our businesses have taken matters into their own hands; they have seized the opportunities we have given them and they are growing. That is good news.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague raises an important issue. Lakes and rivers are indeed a valuable resource for Canadians. That is precisely why we have invested in the nature strategy, which aims to protect 30% of our land and waterways. However, it is also important to safeguard the right to navigate on lakes. This is an issue of concern to us, and one on which we are continuing to engage with the relevant municipal and provincial authorities.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 5, Canadians received the first instalment of the Canada groceries and essentials benefit. Millions of Canadians have received help with their grocery bills. We are very aware of the challenges Canadians are facing. Canadians are courageous, and they will work with us to rebuild our self-sustaining, strong and responsible economy.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's question gives me the opportunity to discuss an announcement made last week. We are going to invest $1 billion in food infrastructure to make food terminals and hubs more accessible to Canadians. We are also going to improve competition. We are going to do this because it matters. Canadians need support. We are providing that support, and they support us because they, too, want to rebuild our country in a self-sustaining and responsible manner.

Mr. Speaker, climate change is a reality. We are fully cognizant of that, and we are working on it. With Canada's 2030 nature strategy, we plan to protect 30% of our lands and waters, which will help us fight climate change. My colleague mentioned strengthening methane regulations and all the things we are going to do for renewable electricity, renewable energy. These things will help us fight climate change. That is how we will make progress and become economically self-sufficient.

Mr. Speaker, an extremely interesting question is being raised today. This means of public transportation will allow everyone to travel more easily between our provinces. It is an important structural element of our economy that will boost trade and economic exchanges between Quebec and Ontario. What is more, it will be sustainable transportation and represents a positive step towards achieving net zero. This project will have a major positive impact on several fronts. We are taking a collective approach. We can get it right. It would be great if we could work together.

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the challenges Canadians are currently facing, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit payments were sent out on Friday. We are fully aware of the current situation. However, if we really want to turn things around, we need to invest and give ourselves a way to do things differently, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are helping Canadians put food on the table, and they are seeing the results, but we are also helping Canadians in the long term.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is asking us a really important question. I commend all the activists who, like us, are fighting for clean air and clean water. However, it is also fundamental for us to be an autonomous economic power. That is why we are working on several fronts at once. We will work to meet our 2050 climate commitments. The methane regulations, the electrification strategy and the nature action plan are all strategies to get there. What we are going to do is produce cleaner and cleaner energy.

Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised by my kind colleague's question. I will share my humble experience as Secretary of State for Nature. I was not yelled at. I did not have to make a big scene. We worked, consulted and talked. I have plenty of colleagues here who worked with me, since this is all very new to me. We are able to work together, debate and move forward, and we are doing this to protect nature and develop our country within a united Canada.

Mr. Speaker, we stand by every position we take because we know that, under the current circumstances, these are the best choices we can make to ensure our economic independence as well as the survival of our planet. Our nature plan will have a significant impact on biodiversity, but also on climate change. The methane regulations will have a major impact on reducing pollution from the fossil fuel industry. The EV strategy and the electrification strategy are a set of measures that ensure Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, yes, it is working. It is working so well that, when I meet with people in my riding, they know that we are working hard to tackle the extremely difficult circumstances faced by my esteemed colleague's constituents. They know that the Canada groceries and essentials benefit is a decision we have made and that it is working for them. It is a decision that the Conservatives did not support. When we support the economy through investment, the Conservatives are nowhere to be seen. They vote against it. Our constituents know that our approach is serious and that it will work.

Mr. Speaker, “it is not working”. We hear that every day: “It is not working”. However, in La Presse a few weeks ago, journalist Marie‑Eve Fournier quoted a research chair who said that it is working. The Canada groceries and essentials benefit is working. Food Banks Canada says that it is working. We are working to help Canadians in their everyday lives. We are working to create jobs. That is true in my hon. colleague's riding. We are attracting investors. It is working. Just because other members say that it is not working does not mean that, in reality, Canadians are not behind us. They are there, and they support us.

Mr. Speaker, I am a woman of strong principles, and I know the member knows that. We work very well together. One thing that is important to me is protecting nature, of course, and I am privileged to have been appointed Secretary of State for Nature. However, the fight against climate change is also important. I am a mother of four. I hope to be a grandmother like my colleague one day. I know this is important. We will continue our efforts. We are going to do it differently. We will do so in the context we find ourselves in today. We already have methane regulations, we have the nature strategy, and we will continue to achieve—

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud to be part of this team. Despite the comments made by my opposition colleague, I know that we will achieve net zero by 2050. I know that we will protect 30% of Canada's land and water by 2030. I know that we will work with Canadians to find a strategy that will enable us to achieve our goals—not a strategy that divides us, but one that unites us. We will get there, and that is how we will build Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to paraphrase our Prime Minister. He said that we live in the world as it is, not as we would like it to be. What matters to us is that we all work together, with all the provinces and across Canada, to improve our economic competitiveness, but also to meet our climate targets. We have not given up on meeting the 2050 net-zero target. Personally, I am working very hard on the nature strategy, a strategy that has drawn unanimous support across Canada.