Madam Speaker, the statistics show us that the west is the fastest-growing part of Canada. Yet that does not seem to be the case in the riding of the NDP leadership candidate from Skeena—Bulkley Valley. During his years in office, the population there has been on the decline, most notably in Kitimat, terminus of the northern gateway pipeline, the same pipeline that the member is attacking today in the panel hearings.
The no development party is against the hundreds of thousands of Canadians employed throughout our energy sector. Our Conservative government understands the importance of diversifying trade to create jobs and economic growth, both in B.C. and all across Canada. Despite the NDP's best efforts, our government is at work promoting jobs and economic growth, both in my home in northern B.C. and from coast to coast to coast.
While the NDP continues to oppose these important trade initiatives, our government will continue to make the investments necessary to grow our trade and to position Canada and B.C.'s economy to succeed well into the markets of the future.