Ontario Hansard - 21-June - 2006

SHARED AIR SUMMIT 2006

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I rise today to comment on the Minister of the Environment's statement. It's nice that you're having this Shared Air Summit occurring next week. It's always valuable to have the opportunity to talk with the parties about issues that affect us across the border. But your government continues to import dirty US power, and your new energy policy will mean we'll have to continue to do that for the foreseeable future. But the present Liberal government has never shied away from making an unrealistic promise.

Surprisingly, to the people across, it was my colleague Elizabeth Witmer and our government that made the decision to close the Lakeview plant in Mississauga in 2001. In the future, please feel free to credit Mrs. Witmer and the Conservative government when you go around flaunting your 33% decrease in toxic emissions.

Unfortunately, your air pollution strategies have about as much credibility as your 2003 election platform. The truth is that while you were out there smiling for the Lakeview photo op, you were still importing power from dirty, coal-fired plants in the United States.

I quote Minister Broten from June 7, 2006: "Transboundary air pollution is responsible for more than half of our smog. It alone costs $5.2 billion every year and causes more than 2,700 premature deaths." But while you're making a speech, your government is still contributing to transborder air pollution by purchasing power from the States.

This is the most convoluted, backward air pollution reduction strategy I have ever heard of. Surely you're not going to flaunt this well-thought-out strategy internationally. We will be a laughingstock. Your efforts are true Liberal "someday" policies: Someday we will affect climate change; someday we will reduce air pollution --