Right. We know how much we're losing as a result of not having these. We know we are losing great sums as a result of not having pipelines to reach our markets with Canadian petroleum. Right now, as a result of the lack of pipelines, we have one customer for Canadian oil—literally, one customer, because 99% of Canadian oil exports go to the United States of America.
When the Prime Minister blocks pipeline construction or fails to advance even those pipelines he claims to support, there's no one happier on planet earth than Donald Trump, because he and his economy get to continue to take our oil at a discount and in effect rip off our workers in so doing.
The question is whether the government is going to exercise its leadership under section 92(10)(c) of the Constitution, declare that this project is to the national advantage of Canada, and assume jurisdiction over all of its permitting and approvals. If the Prime Minister were determined to have this pipeline built, as he claims, then he probably would have done that by now, but he has not.
The member across the way says that the finance committee is no place to be studying pipelines, in fact, because we don't study legal matters. Well, of course, we study legal matters, Mr. Chair. We approve the budget legislation every year, which is a law, and laws are legal matters. We also study financial matters. That's why we're called the finance committee. I don't think there's a single regulatory question that would have more impact on the financial bottom line of the Canadian government than the construction of this and other pipelines, so the finance committee is an excellent place in which to do this study.
I should further add that there is nothing to stop an additional study or additional studies from going on in other committees. The natural resources committee could study it. The environment committee could study the damage the government is doing to the environment by blocking the production of clean Canadian petroleum. The human resources committee could study the increased poverty that is resulting in first nations communities from blocking these projects. All those things could still be studied elsewhere, Mr. Chair, as you grasp your gavel.