Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for taking us back in public to discuss this motion. I think members should have it. It was submitted on October 2. I'll just read it into the record here quickly:
That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Standing Committee on Natural Resources conduct a pre-budget study on the effects that the “price on carbon” announced by the Prime Minister on October 3, 2016, would have on the natural resource sector; that this study be comprised of no less than four meetings to be held at the Committee's earliest convenience; that departmental officials from Natural Resources Canada be in attendance for at least one meeting; that the Committee report its findings and recommendations to the House of Commons no later than February 15, 2017.
That is the text of the motion. Obviously we have some concerns on the Conservative side about what effect the price on carbon or the carbon tax will have on the natural resource sector. Specifically, we know in Alberta and Saskatchewan that we have 100,000 energy workers who are already out of work, and we've heard even today compelling information that a price on carbon, a carbon tax, may indeed be the difference between projects proceeding and not proceeding. We're talking about thousands of jobs—perhaps tens of thousands—being affected by this. We think that should be part of our study here. We're concerned about natural resource workers, and we want to study what impacts this may have.
We would like the natural resources department to share with us any information that they have, any studies that they have done, any consultations they've carried out, any information that can show what the impact of this new price, new carbon tax, will be because we want to make sure that as we present an alternative vision.... I think it's up to the government as well to share with Canadians what the impacts will be. Saying that there will be none is simply impossible.
We want to hear from industry, and we want to hear from the department. I'm sure we'll hear from both sides, but not having this discussion and not sharing that information, I think, does a disservice to natural resource workers who are concerned about paying their mortgages and putting food on the table. As we've heard from some in industry, some individual companies are very concerned about what this will mean for them and their workers.
I hope we can get all-party support for this. I think we've presented it in a way that is simply a stating of the facts. We haven't used any pejorative language in the motion. We want to be able to study this. I think, if the government is confident in its policy, it should have no problem discussing this in this committee for Canadians.
Thank you.