Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Kings—Hants tonight.
I want to start by saying that I am glad to have this debate. Canadians want to know they can count on our government to make sound decisions to ensure that economically beneficial and environmentally responsible projects are advanced, while upholding our efforts on reconciliation with indigenous peoples.
I hope the discussions we are having this evening will give us a chance to think about meaningful solutions to continue creating good jobs for Canadians and to protect our environment for our children and grandchildren.
Before delving into the withdrawal itself, I want to chart the meticulous and diligent process that underpinned Teck's Frontier project under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, which sets out clearly what needs to be assessed to inform government decision-making.
Canadians have told us they want a government that protects our environment and the health of our communities, and that supports opportunities and economic growth.
With its Frontier project, Teck Resources was making every possible effort to achieve those goals. Teck was proposing to build, develop and rehabilitate a 260,000-barrel-a-day drilling operation located in northeastern Alberta, 30 kilometres south of Wood Buffalo National Park.
When the project was reviewed, the environmental assessment process reflected the integrity of Canadian values, particularly regarding things we have heard about so far such as guaranteed meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples and Canada's contribution to the fight against climate change.
As an essential part of the review process, the former minister of environment and climate change entered into an agreement to establish a joint review panel with the Alberta Energy Regulator in May of 2016. The panel found the project would result in significant adverse effects on asserted aboriginal and treaty rights and would also contribute to existing significant adverse cumulative effects to the asserted rights, use of lands and resources and culture of indigenous groups.
Additionally, on July 25, 2019, the joint review panel for Frontier released its report and concluded the project is likely to result in direct significant adverse environmental effects in a number of areas, including to the physical and cultural heritage of indigenous groups that use the project area, in the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by indigenous groups, to the Ronald Lake bison herd and to migratory birds and other species at risk that rely on wetlands and old-growth forests. The panel concluded there would be significant cumulative effects in these same areas in addition to cumulative effects on woodland caribou.
Taking into consideration the significant direct and cumulative effects identified that cannot be mitigated, the panel made 77 recommendations to parties. The panel's role was to provide recommendations to inform the minister's decision at the end of the assessment on whether the project is likely to cause significant environmental effects within federal jurisdiction. That consideration was still in progress when Teck decided to withdraw its application.
However, on February 23, Teck informed our government that it wanted to withdraw its regulatory application from the federal environmental assessment process. Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change can stop an environmental assessment at any time if a proponent informs the minister in writing of their intention to not complete the project.
I have no doubt that this was a very difficult decision for Teck. The letter Teck's CEO sent to the minister clearly demonstrates the need for all levels of government to work together to promote climate action and clean growth.
As Teck's CEO said in his letter, Canada needs to continue to show climate leadership. He believes that Canada has the potential to be a global provider of sustainable, climate-smart resources to support the world's transition to a low carbon future.
The Government of Canada understands the economic importance of the oil and gas sector and the opportunities it provides to hard-working Canadians. At the same time, we must develop these resources in a sustainable manner.
As was also noted in his letter, the Teck CEO stated we need to move beyond jurisdictional and partisan disputes. We must take action on climate change to reduce pollution and thereby provide certainty for business. As he said, “Global capital markets are changing...and investors and customers are increasingly looking for jurisdictions to have a framework in place that reconciles resource development and climate change, in order produce the cleanest possible products.” We agree.
We must continue to work with all levels of government in Canada and with the resource sector to ensure clean and sustainable growth for all. Additionally, the pathway toward indigenous reconciliation must continue to be at the heart of our actions as a government. Connecting and strengthening these goals is something this government has done and will continue to do. That is what Canadians expect from us and that is what we will continue to deliver.
The broad consultations undertaken thus far have improved the Government of Canada's relationship with indigenous groups consulted for the environmental assessment of the Frontier project. Even if the project does not go ahead, the Government of Canada appreciates the important and constructive dialogue it had with indigenous groups throughout the assessment process. The relationships it established reflect the Government of Canada's commitment to reconciliation and will help to manage the effects of development on indigenous peoples going forward.
I can confirm that the federal government carefully examined all the information available and questioned whether it should pursue further studies or request more information.
On all major resource projects, our government looks at the environmental impacts, discusses the economic opportunities and takes into consideration how government decisions affect our work toward reconciliation and climate change commitments. The review of the Teck Frontier oil sands mine project was balancing all of these considerations.
For projects undergoing federal impact assessments, the federal government is putting into practice the principles articulated in the recently enacted Impact Assessment Act that reflect values important to Canadians, most notably, early, inclusive and meaningful public engagement, a predictable and co-operative process and nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown and government-to-government partnerships with indigenous people.
This government is also committed to decisions based on the best available science and indigenous traditional knowledge and to sustainability for present and future generations.
Our government understands that Canadians want to know they can count on the government to make sound decisions to ensure that projects that are in the best interests of all Canadians will move forward and that we will protect the environment in doing so. We will continue to work toward that goal in the months and years ahead for the betterment of all Canadians.