Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my colleague for Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan.
I rise today to speak to an issue that is of significant importance to our national, provincial, and municipal economies.
We have heard spirited debate here today. My hon. colleague for Skeena—Bulkley Valley brought a tear to my eye as he waxed eloquently about a region that I am very familiar with as my riding is adjacent to it.
In these times of economic uncertainty, it is imperative that we recognize the importance of our energy and resource sector, something the government seems to have failed to do.
Canada is a country dependent on resource development, and our economy is predicated on the trading of the commodities we produce. The comments made by the Prime Minister about Canadians being known for their resourcefulness rather than the resources is, in short, ignorant and out of touch with realities faced by Canadians living in today's uncertain global economy. Canadians are facing unemployment as a result of the downturn in oil prices. They are struggling to put food on the table as a result of the skyrocketing cost of living.
My hon. colleague for Chilliwack—Hope spoke today on the emotional comments from his riding about families who feared they would lose their home, or who worried how they would put food on their plates, or who were affected more and more by the sinking loonie.
With all of that being said, I am not surprised the Liberal Party refuses to put forward a clear position on the energy east pipeline. Liberals would rather brainstorm ways to build bigger bureaucracies and add red tape to resource projects until Canada's once reputable investor climate is all but destroyed. In fact, by the sounds of it, our new Prime Minister has taken a page from his father's playbook.
I am sure I do not need to remind the House that last year was the worst year for employment losses since the global recession, and after the introduction of the national energy program, which was coincidentally introduced by the former Prime Minister Trudeau. Alberta lost 45,000 jobs in 1982.
However, facts are facts, and the Liberals can only avoid reality for so long. Canada holds the third largest oil reserves in the world, but a lack of energy transport infrastructure means that the eastern part of our country is dependent on foreign crude imports to meet 86% of our daily needs.
Surprisingly, the Liberals trumpet transit as creating jobs. Surely they do not mean that they are going to use high speed transit to move our commodities to tidewater. This makes no sense.
The Canadian oil and gas sector is experiencing increased capacity and it is crucial that this sector have access to new and diverse markets through the energy east pipeline. In fact, energy east is projected to create over 14,000 jobs during the nine year construction phase alone. These are much needed jobs, particularly in Canadian regions hit hard by job losses and economic downturn.
The creation of the energy east pipeline would benefit western producers, eastern refineries, all levels of government, and everyday Canadians. It would mean more dollars staying in our country. Energy east would bolster our country's trade balance and strengthen the Canadian energy industry, which employs over half a million people and generates more than $20 billion in taxes for all levels of government. Energy east would provide for the creation of highly paid, skilled manufacturing jobs and economic opportunities, not just in the west but across the country. Now this makes sense.
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers projected that Canada would lose 100,000 jobs both directly and indirectly due to the low price of oil. I have a quote from Conrad Winkler, president and chief executive officer of EVRAZ North America, a leading producer of engineered steel products for rail, energy, and industrial end markets. He says:
Pipeline project benefits do not recognize regions or stop at oil field borders. They generate huge benefits for Ontario and Quebec as well — because they provide jobs, property and income taxes, construction activity and community development.
The energy east pipeline will not just have huge benefits for Ontario and Quebec, but it will have significant impact on my riding. If people take a walk downtown in the streets of Prince George, Quesnel or Williams Lake, they will see Alberta licence plates of families that live in our riding and commute to high-paying jobs, or used to commute to high-paying jobs in the oil and gas sector.
We cannot help but have an acquaintance, friend, or loved one who has been impacted negatively or lost his or her job due to the downturn in oil prices. Just this week WestJet airlines announced that it would be cancelling direct flights between Calgary and Prince George, Terrace, Brandon, Manitoba, Penticton, Kamloops, Abbotsford, and Nanaimo. There were 88 flights alone in and out of Calgary. That is a huge blow for small communities in my riding. A daily round trip domestic service into an airport in a community roughly the size of Prince George generates $2.5 million in value-added GDP and $5.8 million in economic output.
Business follows access follows transportation.
The government's arrogance toward the hard-working Canadians employed by the oil and natural resource sector is unprecedented. When I and three of my colleagues were at home in my riding last week attending the B.C. premier's natural resource forum, the largest of its kind in Canada, it was noticed that not one member of the Liberal government was in attendance. In fact, the Minister of Natural Resources declined. He had other things to do.
That silence was heard. That absence was seen. We heard from over 900 leading industry professionals, provincial and municipal representatives, and indigenous leaders. The new-found confidence the government talks about is not there. I am not sure who the Liberals are talking to.
The Prime Minister has refused to state support for pipelines in principle, suggesting that it is not his duty to act as a cheerleader for projects. Is it not the Prime Minister's job to act as a cheerleader for Canada and Canadians? Instead of going to the communities hardest hit by the downturn in our nation's economy, his first trip after being elected was to Paris to hobnob and perfect his selfie. He took pictures with movie stars, while the hard-working communities across Canada, those who are less fortunate, worried about their uncertain times.
The Minister of International Trade has made comments that it is not her job to promote trade.
The forecast for 2016 is looking exceptionally grim. While the Alberta labour market continues to weaken, the Liberal government remains silent. Employment in the natural resources sector, the manufacturing sector, and the food sector continues to steadily decline. Canadians deserve an action plan that will create jobs and growth and that will ensure hey can provide for their families. The sooner the Liberal government figures out whose job it is to represent Canadians, the sooner we can move toward building an economy that will serve our children's future.
I will once again reiterate for my colleagues across the floor that while they may want us to be known for our resourcefulness, never forget that our nation is dependent on resource development and our economy is predicated on the trade of the commodities we produce. I stand before them and ask again. Who is going to stand up for Canadians in ridings such as my riding of Cariboo—Prince George?