I think the problem with both projects is that there are a number of folks out there who don't understand the demand for petroleum and natural gas and what they're used for. They make an assumption that you can shut down these pipelines, and future pipelines, because there is no demand, we're transitioning to a green economy and we're already there.
I think the fact remains—and the logic behind this or maybe the illogic behind shutting down these pipelines—that we're not there. We are decades away from transitioning to a green economy. To shut down a line like [Technical difficulty—Editor], which has been operating for 67 years, is absolutely ludicrous, especially when the demand for that line to deliver products to [Technical difficulty—Editor] the agricultural industry and a whole bunch of other industries. It defies logic to do that right now, and to do it two months from now.
I presented in front of the Michigan Senate committee on energy only a day or two ago, with MPP Bailey from Ontario and Rocco Rossi from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. It was obvious that a lot of folks just don't know the demand for petroleum and natural gas. They make this assumption that these pipelines can just be shut down with no consequences, but the consequences are big.
Let's take Keystone XL, for example. Keystone XL had the potential to supply North America, the United States and Canada, with enough petroleum to satisfy the needs here at home without having to reach out to Venezuela or to Saudi Arabia for their oil. Cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline didn't diminish the demand for petroleum. The demand is still there. That's the illogical part of all this. In fact, we're still going to get the tankers coming into the Atlantic region. Irving Oil will still be refining oil from Venezuela and a bunch of other countries, including Saudi Arabia.
I don't understand why we're taking those kinds of approaches, instead of using our own natural resources in a safe way. I'm not advocating that we do it any other way. Our members don't advocate doing it any other way. Pipelines are the best way to deliver it. By shutting—