Mr. Speaker, it is a true and fair comment to say that we are getting mixed messages and a complete lack of clarity from members of the government. I do not think the Conservatives know what position to take. Half of them want to allow untrammelled free market principles to prevail and to let any company in the world have access to whatever assets it wants in Canada. Others on the government side have serious concerns about state ownership. The government needs to work out those mixed messages.
However, in the past two years state-owned Chinese companies such as PetroChina, Sinopec and CNOOC have invested more than $10 billion in the Canadian oil and gas sector. That now accounts for control of more than 7% of oil sands reserves. Serious questions of Canadian control of strategic assets are engendered by this issue.
There is the environment as well. We cannot talk about oil and gas without responsibly raising the concept of wise and prudent environmental stewardship. This is another concern of CNOOC because its record in terms of protecting the environment is, to put it charitably, somewhat questionable. These are other very important issues that need to be studied before the government approves this deal.
That is what Canadians send us here to do. Canadians send representatives to Parliament to have full evidence before us and to study issues very thoroughly before we make decisions that would affect our economy in major ways. I encourage and urge all members of the House from all parties to agree with this very reasonable motion that simply calls on an evidence-based, open and transparent public discourse before we make this important decision.
The people of Canada, and the people of Alberta in particular, own the reserves of oil and gas in this country. We need to ensure they have their say.