Living in Alaska, a state that is very politically dominated by resource development, there are positive and negative sides to that. We just have to be honest about it.
But we have heard this threat for years that if the state government raises oil taxes, the oil companies are going to pick up and go elsewhere. Well, the fact of the matter is that in any place with rich natural resources where companies want to operate, there is such a profit margin that they're not going to pick up and leave. If the headquarters left Canada, where would they go? They are certainly not going to come to the United States. So I think that's a veiled threat.
Also, regarding the companies who are telling people that Bill C-300 is so egregious they would simply leave if it passes, what does that tell you about their commitment to and confidence in how well they are applying their corporate social responsibility guidelines? It tells me that they know they're not doing it.
So to any company who says they would pick up and leave if Bill C-300 were passed, I would say, please do, because I wouldn't want them in my country either.