Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First of all, I have a response that I think represents the views of my colleagues on this side. They're all welcome to speak to this as well.
While I recognize the importance that a federally imposed price on carbon pollution could have on the natural resources sector in jurisdictions that do not have a provincial framework in place to meet our collective emissions targets, I do not believe that we as a committee should undertake the proposed study brought forth by Mr. Strahl at this time, for the following reasons.
First, only two weeks ago, we unanimously voted to adopt the timeline from now to the end of June that will guide our committee on the rest of the sitting year. Seeing as any federally mandated price on carbon pollution will not take effect until 2018, it is my opinion that, if we were to undertake such a study, it would be more relevant in the lead-up to the 2018 budget.
As well, I feel we would also require the following before proceeding with the study: a detailed outline of the government's plans to put a federal backstop in place for provinces and territories that do not have a framework in place to ensure we collectively price carbon pollution; the working group reports that have been prepared for the first ministers on clean technology, innovation, jobs, and specific carbon pricing mechanisms; specific mitigation opportunities on adaptation and climate resilience, which are not yet available to the public; and some clarity on the preferred provincial and territorial approaches that are currently in place, as well as the intended courses of action to be undertaken by each of the individual provinces and territories that do not currently have a mechanism in place to price carbon pollution.
I would also like to note, Mr. Chair, that if the committee were to undertake the studies proposed by both Mr. Strahl and Mr. Canning at this time, doing so would represent a collective time of no less than 12 meetings, which would significantly impede the committee's ability to conclude the studies it has already undertaken within the timeline already agreed on.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.