Thank you so much, Madam Chair. I apologize to you and all of the committee members for the technical issues this morning.
I do welcome the opportunity to share insights on behalf of Alberta's government with regard to the strike at the west coast ports—Canada's number one, largest port and the soon to be second-largest port, i.e., Vancouver and Prince Rupert.
Let me start by saying that labour-related disruptions slow down trade and result in increased costs for Canadian consumers, particularly here in Alberta. As a landlocked province, Alberta depends on a well-functioning ports system, as well as transportation corridors and market-access infrastructure, to maintain economic prosperity.
Ports are an integral part of the transportation and supply chain system, and their effective operation impacts Canada's and Alberta's competitiveness. In 2022, $18 billion of Alberta's exports, including grains, minerals and forest products—