Thank you.
Any policies that discriminate against the oil sands will impede the free flow of global oil supplies and will be detrimental to overall energy security.
The implementation of the European fuel quality directive, which is non-scientific and discriminatory, could have significant and unintended consequences for the world supply to the extent that it introduces these discriminatory impediments to global energy markets.
We have spoken out against it. I have met with my European counterparts. I have spoken to the European commissioner. We have written to each of the parliamentarians. I've written again to each of my counterparts. Our embassies are working hard. We were encouraged that about a month ago the committee looking at it rejected the fuel quality directive as drafted. When I attended the International Energy Forum in Kuwait, I met again with key European ministers and senior officials to reinforce our position.
We are not opposed to the fuel quality directive in principle in that we don't have a problem with their objective of reducing emissions from transportation fuels. However, we want a system that is science-based and that doesn't pigeonhole and single out the oil sands for negative treatment.
By the way, the Europeans do not purchase oil from the oil sands in any great quantity, and they give a free pass to oil with the same level of emissions, or a higher level, coming from Russia, for example, which they do import. That's grandstanding.
Frankly, I found it distressing that the NDP would meet with European officials to support a policy that discriminates against Canada.