House of Commons Hansard #279 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pipeline.
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I note that the national security adviser was very clear in the remarks that he made today before the standing committee. I also note that on numerous occasions, when asked similar questions in the House, the Prime Minister has repeatedly said that he agrees with his national security adviser.
Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the information that has come out of the committee hearing today indicates the government's theory that it was elements of the Indian government that were responsible for Mr. Atwal's presence was completely false, and that the theory being perpetrated was the responsibility of the Prime Minister's Office. Did the Prime Minister approve the release of the false information about his India trip?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman seems to be following a misguided path here, because he says in one breath that he agrees with and accepts the evidence that has been given by the national security adviser. That is good. That is exactly what the Prime Minister said.
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on leaving his meeting with the premiers of British Columbia and Alberta, the Prime Minister said he wants to impose a solution on the provinces to try to resolve the dispute over Trans Mountain.
Whether the federal government likes it or not, that solution violates one of the provinces' environmental legislation. In an open letter, the Government of Quebec reminded Ottawa that no project located partially or entirely on a province's territory is exempt from the environmental legislation adopted by that province's legislature.
What of the co-operative federalism that the Liberals promised?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our federal-provincial co-operation and we always have been. Let us be clear: this project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward with it. This type of project falls under federal jurisdiction. Let us be clear: the Supreme Court has already ruled on the matter, as everyone knows.
This project is in the national interest and we will continue to move ahead with it.
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals approved the Trans Mountain project by relying on the environmental assessment process of the Harper government, which they used to denounce. They now use it because it suits them. Ramming a project down the province's throat is not co-operative federalism.
Yesterday the Prime Minister said he will pursue legislative options to reinforce the federal jurisdiction regarding energy projects, which, he said, “we know we clearly have.”
However, it is not clear. Will the government partner with B.C. and first nations in Alberta to seek greater clarity from the Supreme Court of Canada?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, first of all, the Trans Mountain expansion project was approved by the British Columbia government, and there was an environmental assessment process in British Columbia that led to the approval.
Second, we did not use the same rules as the Harper administration. We used different ones, which led to incredible consultation, historic consultation, with indigenous peoples up and down the line. After months of consultation and tens of thousands of conversations, we approved this in Canada's interests.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, the ultimatum over the Kinder Morgan pipeline will not be solved by jumping to the deadline of a Texas oil company, because the issue of social licence for indigenous Canadians remains unresolved.
In the minister's own briefing notes, the government admits that its response to the legitimate indigenous questions are “paternalistic, unrealistic, and inadequate”. That is Colonialism 101.
Did the Prime Minister really think he was going to stop the Kinder Morgan impasse by deliberately excluding indigenous leadership from Alberta and British Columbia from the talks?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, major projects such as this are by their very nature controversial, and they divide communities. There are many people in British Columbia who think this is a very important project for Canada. As a matter of fact, it even divides political parties. Perhaps the member would want to organize a meeting with the NDP premiers of Alberta and British Columbia to see what kind of consensus he can arrange.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, I refer him to his notes about being paternalistic and inadequate. I am very pleased that the Premiers of British Columbia and Alberta tabled the question as to why they were deliberately excluding indigenous Canadians. That is the question. The Liberals are asking Canadians to assume the financial risks for Kinder Morgan, but there is also a significant social risk.
Just how far are the Liberals willing to go to run roughshod over indigenous rights to do the work of a Texas-based oil company?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the member knows that the Government of Canada has engaged in unprecedented consultation with indigenous communities. Up and down the line, we know that 44 indigenous communities have signed benefit agreements with Kinder Morgan, 33 of them are in British Columbia. Others have been involved with us in establishing a monitoring committee co-developed between the government and indigenous communities for the first time in Canadian history.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, on April 6, in B.C., the Prime Minister claimed Trans Mountain would be safe, jobs would be created, and it would be built. Forty-eight hours later, Kinder Morgan said that it would not if roadblocks were not gone by May 31.
On April 9, the Canadian Pipeline Association said that the energy sector was in crisis mode. That same day, the natural resources minister said that it was not a crisis. Ministers met urgently, spouted empty words, and ran away. The PM took a day off while the finance minister met the Alberta premiers then went to Peru.
Yesterday he met with both premiers for the first time and announced nothing. He had failed. When will the Trans Mountain expansion be built?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Leader of the Opposition, in front of a national audience, decided to speak before the Premier of Alberta and before the Prime Minister of Canada. He has powers of intuition beyond the normal. He was in tune with exactly what the premier and the Prime Minister were going to say so well, but he spoke before they did.
We are looking for the Leader of the Opposition's vision of the energy future for Canada, not seeking to speak—
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, at least my leader did not run away from the media.
The Prime Minister's failure is more more than the pipeline. It is a crisis of confidence in Canada's economic and investment reputation. It tells the world Canada is closed for business, destroys competitiveness, and risks the future. It is the latest in a pattern of capital fleeing Canada under the Prime Minister and it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Hundreds of thousands of jobs in all sectors, billions for the economy, for social programs for all, hundreds of millions for more than 40 first nations and national unity are at risk. It has been a year and a half since the Prime Minister said that it was in the national interest. When will Trans Mountain be built?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the hon. friend says running away from the media. Last week, Country 93.3 in Fort McMurray, The Globe and Mail, CBC Radio in Vancouver, 660 News in Calgary, the Calgary Herald, Bloomberg Media, CBC/Radio Alberta, the Toronto Star, 770 news in Calgary, the Canadian Press, Radio/Canada in Edmonton, the Daily Oil Bulletin, Le Devoir, Global News, CKNW Vancouver, Global News TV in Edmonton, I had ample opportunity to talk about the government's position to the media and to the country.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister and his government detest and despise Canadian oil. That is the truth. I would remind you that with regard to Alberta oil, on January 12, 2017, in Calgary, the Prime Minister said that “we need to phase them out.” It is unacceptable for a Prime Minister of Canada to say that. Today, the Prime Minister is saying that there is nothing to worry about and that the western pipeline will go forward, but it is not, because the person supposed to sell the project is doing a bad job.
Can the Prime Minister acknowledge that he does not believe in Alberta oil?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, as we have said time and time again, this project is in the national interest. We cannot make that any clearer. That is why we are going to move it forward and ensure that it is built. We are currently talking to our partners. I can also say that Harper's Conservatives were unable to accomplish anything on this file for 10 years. They did not even initiate discussions with indigenous peoples. They did not develop environmental strategies. We believe in developing both the economy and the environment.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister will agree with me. This is a very serious subject. Not as serious as the rivalry between the Canadiens and the Nordiques, of course. We know that.
However, what I want to say to the minister is very serious. Sadly, this government's record so far is one of failure after failure. First there was northern gateway, which the Liberal government said no to. Then there was energy east, which was cancelled by the company because of the Liberals' policies. Now the issue is Trans Mountain, and the outcome is uncertain.
Does the minister realize that when his boss, the Prime Minister, says we need to phase out Alberta oil, he is sending a terrible message not only to Canadians, but to the world?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I can only repeat that our government is moving ahead on this project. It is in the national interest. It is important for our country. It is important not only for Alberta, but for Canada as a whole. By contrast, the Harper Conservatives did not get anything done during their 10 years in office. We are moving ahead on this project. The question is not if, but when. We are working with our partners to make sure that we are going to move forward on this project, which is so important for Canada.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, nine weeks ago, when talking about Trans Mountain pipeline and our motion supporting it, the natural resources minister said “There is simply no need for a motion today that attempts to manufacture a crisis where one does not exist....”
Well, there is a crisis. If that minister spent half the time recognizing the crisis going on in the energy sector as he does compiling the list of interviews that he clearly spent a whole bunch of time doing, he would know that this is a crisis not only on pipelines but jobs. It is the Liberals' abdication of responsibility to the energy sector that has caused this. When—
Natural ResourcesOral Questions
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, I do not talk to the press enough and I talk to the press too much.
All the time we look at ways to embolden and enhance the oil and gas sector and the future of the energy sector in Canada. As a matter of fact, it was only a week ago when the Prime Minister and I were in Fort McMurray, talking to workers and CEOs within the energy sector, understanding the importance of certainty for investment, the importance of investment in the sector internationally, that Canada was a place where people could have confidence. That is why we are determined to see this project, in the national interest, will be built.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, we have been warning the Liberal government that its policies are hurting Canada's energy sector, killing competitiveness and jobs. Its carbon tax, its tanker ban, and its disastrous approval process has killed projects like Petronas LNG, northern gateway, energy east. Now we see Trans Mountain dying a slow death. Investment and jobs are leaving Canada as we speak.
When will the Liberals get their heads out of the sand and realize their policies are disastrous for Canada's energy sector?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, approved pipelines, job creation for the people of Alberta, for the people of western Canada, compared to the 10-year record of the Harper Conservative government of not one kilometre of pipeline built to tidewater, no consultation with indigenous people, court cases that said the Harper government had failed in its constitutional responsibilities, no conversation with the importance of energy and the environment being part of the conversation, why would we want to mimic that record of failure?
