Culture eats strategy for breakfast. I've led and transformed a number of organizations where that rings true. We can have all the regulatory change and ambition in the world, but if it isn't being driven down into the public service that these projects are in the national interest, are going to lift Canadians up in their ability to afford daily things like groceries, housing, etc., and will increase Canada's ability to compete for capital, as my fellow witness has identified, we won't make meaningful progress.
The cultural shift needs to happen first and foremost, and it's going to take time and repeated efforts. Frankly, those who can't get on the bus of expedited and competitive regulatory environments and investment climates should be shown the door.
In terms of some of the other pieces, frankly, the move to allow provinces to adjudicate and regulate the projects within their provinces is a step that's happening but should be happening as of right. That requires a change in the legislation, but in practice, it should be happening today. In many provinces, it actually is.
The shift to having all of the pipelines in Canada approved by the Canada Energy Regulator is also a needed legislative change, but I believe that should be happening immediately. Frankly, there is a purview within the Impact Assessment Act for the agency and other regulators to limit the scope of reviews. In the past, they have often taken the maximum amount of time and added interesting academic queries to the regulatory approval process when they have really no material bearing on the actual development of a major project.
Those are a few things that could be done immediately.
For a wholesale change for Canada to ultimately be competitive with our primary competitor, the United States, which, as it has been pointed out, is moving to some timelines as quick as 28 days, we will need to see a combination of both procedural and legislative change.