Mr. Chair, of course our government supports in principle the idea of a pipeline to the east. It would bring lower cost Canadian crude to consumers, and to refineries in Quebec, Lévis and Montreal, and Atlantic Canada, at the Irving refinery in Saint John. Pipelines to eastern Canada would create new jobs and economic growth across the country, particularly in Atlantic Canada.
With respect to the member's question about taking products to deep water, we currently export 80 million tonnes of oil off our east and west coasts every year. In fact, on any given day there are 180 vessels of over 500 tonnes that operate within our waters under Canadian jurisdiction. We welcome all proposals to further diversify our resources.