Mr. Speaker, our government has been fairly clear that we support projects that can get our product to market if they are environmentally friendly and have the support of the local community. What I would like to point out, though, is that there has been a sea change in the oil and gas sector in Canada. The drop in prices highlights the need to diversify the economy. We cannot put all of our eggs in one basket. We need to be focusing on renewable energy, as well as projects like energy east, and innovation, manufacturing, and supporting primary industry.
In the short term, we should also be considering the workers that are impacted by the downturn in the energy sector by providing them with timely access to the social programs that will help them get by.
Coming from a small rural community in Nova Scotia and having worked for a number of years in Alberta, I understand the impact the oil and gas sector can have on our national economy.