Mr. Chair, in fact, more energy investment has left Canada under the Liberals than in any other two-year time period in 70 years, more than half a century. The collateral damage of this is that hundreds of thousands of Canadians are out of work, and job losses have rippled throughout other sectors.
What would create jobs in the energy sector are pipelines. The Trans Mountain pipeline was approved as being in the national interest a year and a half ago, but there is chaos and uncertainty around pipelines in Canada right now. The deadline for the Trans Mountain expansion is nine days away, seven of which are sitting days. It is important for government budgets. The Conference Board of Canada estimates that the Trans Mountain pipeline construction in its first 20 years of expanded operations will deliver $46.7 billion in provincial and federal government revenue.
The messages from the government have been all over the place. Since April 8, the Prime Minister, the finance minister, and the natural resources minister have all promised legislation on the Trans Mountain expansion. I hope the finance minister can provide clarity tonight.
On May 16, he said that the federal government was “willing to indemnify the Trans Mountain expansion against unnecessary delays that are politically motivated.” Will the finance minister bring forward another piece of legislation or revise the budget estimates to account for expenditures on, or indemnification of, the Trans Mountain expansion?