SUSAN LEBLANC: Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Last December, his department released 68 goals in their long-awaited climate plan. Unfortunately, we’re not seeing investment that matches the level of urgency and the work that needs to be done. Most of the climate funding in this recent budget has already been earmarked for existing projects under the Green Fund, leaving little left for work on climate goals. How does the minister expect us to meet our climate targets if he won’t fund the work that we need to do to address the climate crisis?
HON. TIMOTHYHALMAN: Indeed, we did release our climate plan in December of last year, with 68 goals to guide us for the next five years. In point of fact, since forming government 18 months ago, this government’s invested $300 million in climate adaptation: $44 million from the Green Fund, $57 million from general revenue that went into heat pumps, and immediately following the release of our climate plan, we released our plan for heat pumps, $140 million. (Applause)
SUSAN LEBLANC: Mr. Speaker, to illustrate this government’s priorities, this House has been sitting for six days so far and already the government members have kicked and screamed about carbon pricing 34 times. We counted. Meanwhile action and dollars to address climate change are coming up short. Just three days before the tabling of this budget, the International Panel on Climate Change released a damning report that showed time is running out to prevent catastrophe. Governments have 10 fewer years to address climate change than previously thought, and I will table that. Does this minister believe we can afford to wait another year to get serious about addressing climate change?
TIMOTHY HALMAN: Mr. Speaker, we’re not waiting. We’re not marking time; we’re making a difference. We’re taking action. Included in the $300 million we’ve invested since forming government, in December we invested $20 million for nature conservation. These are significant investments. These are investments that benefit Nova Scotians and will help Nova Scotians adapt to climate change. We have a strong climate plan. We have the strongest piece of climate legislation in the country. (Applause) I am very optimistic about the future. We may hear a lot of doom and gloom from the other side about this (Interruption) but we’re moving forward together.