Thank you. I'll speak quickly.
Thank you again, Minister, for coming so quickly to our meeting. I really do appreciate that. I want to clarify a couple of things.
You've said that there's been no consultation between the NEB and first nations. There were close to 1,000 meetings on the northern gateway alone. With energy east, there have been close to 500 consultation meetings. I just wanted to clarify that. It's a little disingenuous to say that there have been no consultations on that.
You talked about the NDP government in Alberta. If you were to speak to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and their members about what they felt about that carbon tax in Alberta, it would be a very different answer than what you may think you're getting.
I was really happy to hear you talk about the courage of a government to make what may seem to be an unpopular decision at the time. We've been talking a lot about Alberta and Saskatchewan, but we also have to talk about Atlantic Canada, the impact that the energy downturn has had across Canada.
I don't profess to say that a government can control oil prices, but it can control or mitigate the atmosphere that goes around with that. That includes the confidence for the private sector to invest in that sector.
What really concerned me with the Prime Minister and yourself is that when you've been asked, for example, if the energy east or the Trans Mountain pipeline passes the National Energy Board guidelines and review, you won't commit to it. You talked about the courage to make a decision. You will never get consensus on these types of projects, whether it's a waste-water treatment plant or a pipeline.
Why will you not commit to support the energy east and Trans Mountain pipelines, those kinds of projects, if they pass the National Energy Board criteria?