Statement made on 15 September 2009 by Senator Pana Merchant
Hon. Pana Merchant:
Honourable senators, last Friday in the Regina Leader-Post, Saskatchewan's premier disclosed that an important $270 million carbon capture and storage project is set to fail because of the failure of the Harper government to make good on its promise of financial support to the province for this important job creation and environmental project.
The project hinges on $100 million from both the Canadian and American governments. In a pretence of regard for the environment, the Conservatives purported in May to establish a $650 million fund for large scale carbon capture projects. I ask the Leader of the Government in the Senate whether any money has been paid out of that pretence of a fund, although I understand a process for application has not even been established.
Is this another broken promise to Saskatchewan like the equalization promise broken by Prime Minister Harper? That promise was no resource clawback on equalization. Is that imposed resource clawback, resulting in an $878 million loss to Saskatchewan, to now be compounded by another loss in the resource area if this needed carbon storage project fails?
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