Mr. Speaker, twice the Prime Minister has gone to the United States. He has met with two different presidents and their administrations, but both times he has left the Minister of Natural Resources here at home. When it comes to our resources, the United States is our biggest customer, but also our largest competitor. Had the Minister of Natural Resources had the opportunity to go to Washington, he might have been able to talk about some fairly important issues: softwood lumber, Keystone XL, Canadian jobs.
Either the Prime Minister has no confidence in the minister or Canada's natural resources sector is not a priority for the Liberal government. Which is it?