ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Mr. Toby Barrett: To the environment minister: Are you firing Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner because he revealed Dalton McGuinty’s climate change targets are nothing but hot air?

Hon. John Gerretsen: Well, you know, I can’t believe this question. It’s nice to get an environment question, by the way, because usually that party isn’t interested in the environment at all.

First of all, Mr. Miller has done an outstanding job over the last 10 years, there’s no question about it, and we appreciate his advice on an ongoing basis. But I think it’s also fair to say that we want to have a transparent and open process. We all know that these appointments are for five years. We certainly ask anyone who may be interested in the job, including Mr. Miller, to go through the transparent process. Let’s take a look at who’s out there and interested in the job. Let’s get the best-qualified person, who may very well be Mr. Miller. He has done an outstanding job and I’m sure that he will continue to contribute to the province of Ontario in the years ahead.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Toby Barrett: Well, that’s all well and good, but in his latest report the Environmental Commissioner exposed Dalton McGuinty’s dirty secret: Greenhouse gas emissions have gone up and will keep going up under the McGuinty Liberals. The commissioner says, “The fact that greenhouse gas emissions are projected to rise between 2014 and 2020 points to a serious deficiency in the government’s planning.

Interjection: Shame.

Mr. Toby Barrett: That is shameful.

While your climate change guru, your Liberal friend Hugh MacLeod, was allowed to make a quiet exit, the commissioner joins the Ombudsman in being hung out to dry. Why does Dalton McGuinty dump everyone who criticizes him or holds him accountable?

Hon. John Gerretsen: Well, it is fascinating getting these kinds of questions from this member. If you’re so much interested in climate change, why did you vote against the coal-fired energy plant closures? Why did every member in your caucus vote against the greenbelt? And I can think of so many other good, positive environmental initiatives that this government has brought along over the last six years.

We look forward to working with that member and his caucus to deal with the real environmental issues, which include climate change, and we look forward to working with Mr. Miller in whatever capacity he chooses and we choose as a result of the transparent process that we’re involved in. But it’s great to see you’re finally interested in the environment, because that’s quite a change from the usual attitude of the Conservative Party.