Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Obviously, speaking on behalf of the marine industry here in British Columbia, we have a certain perspective on the diversification of Canada's economy and, in particular, the natural resources, and the challenges and opportunities that this presents for our industry.
As the representative of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, I represent more than 180 members right across the marine sector, including many foreign shipping companies and shipping agents, the ports, the pilots, the tug companies, and the supply and service companies right across the marine spectrum. We bring within ourselves different points of view, but the common point that I think we share is this: whatever we do in the marine industry with our colleagues all over the world, if called upon to move Canada's resources, we will do that safely. We have a long record of executing our responsibilities safely, and we will continue to do that.
As a marine industry, we cannot be judgmental about what moves or what does not move. We don't try to be judgmental. However, whatever we are called upon to move, we will do that well. We will do it with the utmost of care, and we will prolong a long tradition here in British Columbia of moving all our commodities off the coast, to wherever they go, to very high standards by any measurement in the world today.
The development costs of Canada's resource diversification are of concern. We're very cognizant of what's happening in other parts of the world today, such as the review that's taking place of projects, for example, LNG projects in Australia, where the high cost of resource diversification and development is causing a lot of strains. Most certainly, as a marine industry, we want to be a part of the solution in overcoming some of those, because the opportunities that Canada has and that will run through British Columbia will probably only come once. If we don't do it well, if we don't align ourselves both federally and provincially and as a marine industry to execute whatever we're called upon to execute, then we will fail.
It's very important that we get this right. It's unfortunate that the marine industry, when it comes to moving Canada's resources, has been called into the discussion in some forms in a negative way. The marine industry, as most people are well aware, moves more than 90% of all world trade today. We do so very, very quietly. We go about our business very, very professionally.
Of course, we don't mind being challenged, but the discussion that we are brought into today with respect to western access is to some extent I think one of trying to blur the argument about whether or not we believe in resource development. If your opinion is that resources should not be developed, then you will of course try to block pipelines, and you will of course try to discredit the marine industry, and we've become quite accustomed to that over a period of time.
I think we have a very strong record that speaks for itself, far stronger than I can speak to you about today, in terms of going about our business professionally and very safely. For that reason, any suggestions that spills of oil are inevitable in the marine environment of British Columbia are, in our view, misplaced.
It's also important to recognize that as we go about our business futuristically here in British Columbia, one of the notions is that we have a crowded waterway, and that is not the case. We have a very low level of traffic here on the west coast of Canada, by any world standard, and we can certainly accommodate an awful lot more traffic, and we can do so very safely.
As a marine industry, we very much look forward to participating in diversification of Canada's energy sector. We are absolutely confident as an industry that we can play a very positive role in achieving that successfully.
Thank you very much.