Let me be clear about something. We at the Alberta Federation of Labour and the broader labour movement are not opposed to diversifying markets. We're not opposed to selling to Asia; we're just saying that we're trying to sell the wrong product.
Also, the first thing we should be doing—and I think I agree with several of the other panellists here—is that instead of looking to the Far East for new markets, we should first look to our own east. As it stands right now, 85% of the oil used in the Maritimes comes from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, countries that are charging what we call Brent prices, which are 20% higher. There's an opportunity to replace those higher costs paid by Canadian consumers in the east with lower cost Canadian oil. It would be a win-win situation. That's the first market.
Keep in mind that's a 750,000 barrel per day market just in the Maritimes. If you include Quebec and Ontario, these are significant markets. We should look at market replacement in Canada, and not close the door on exports, but as I say, we should be looking at exporting the right product.