Mr. Speaker, first, I want to begin tonight by honouring the courageous teachers and students from the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola who put themselves directly in harm's way to protect school children during a terrifying grizzly bear attack. This act of heroism reminds us of the strength and resilience of coastal communities. Our hearts are with the Nuxalk Nation and the people of Bella Coola at this difficult time.
I also offer deep gratitude to the Heiltsuk coastal guardians, who were first on the scene when a loaded commercial barge began taking on water off B.C.'s central coast, and who continued working relentlessly to prevent an environmental and economic catastrophe. This barge is loaded with containers that represent huge commercial value, and the efforts are saving businesses millions of dollars. Their dedication reflects a level of responsibility and vigilance the Liberal government should aspire to meet. Once again, the first nations on the west coast are demonstrating extraordinary leadership in safeguarding their lands, waters, economies and future generations. I urge the Liberal government to learn from their example and listen to it.
Today media reports suggest closed-door discussions about granting exceptions to the oil tanker moratorium and advancing a crude oil pipeline and tanker corridor through the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea are under way. According to the news, the federal government has gone directly to Alberta and Saskatchewan without speaking to British Columbia or the coastal first nations who have cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial.
If accurate, it means the government is attempting to alter protections for the coast without including the people most affected. If so, the government is creating unnecessary and irresponsible risk. British Columbia has been clear that it does not support weakening the safeguards coastal communities rely on today. The Prime Minister has said that he would not use Bill C-5 to override a provincial government, and those words must be honoured, not quietly set aside under a cloak of secrecy accompanied by media leaks.
The Great Bear Rainforest is no place for crude oil pipelines or tankers. It is Canada's last stronghold of wild Pacific salmon, home to ancient temperate rainforests found almost nowhere else and surrounded by some of the most productive marine waters on the planet. Rather than undermining it, Canada must uphold free, prior and informed consent, and stand with coastal first nations who are unequivocally defending this irreplaceable place.
The economic impacts are equally significant. Coastal first nations have built a multi-billion dollar conservation-based economy that supports cultural tourism, sustainable fisheries, habitat restoration, renewable energy projects and long-term local employment. This is an economic model rooted in stewardship, not extraction. A crude oil tanker route threatens those existing sustainable jobs. Canada should strengthen this proven economic foundation, not destabilize it through closed negotiations driven by outside pressure.
After long-term consequences cannot be ignored, the global shift to renewable energy is accelerating. Canada cannot afford to be left behind by clinging to 20th century infrastructure. A new crude pipeline today is not a path to prosperity; it is a costly detour from the opportunities emerging in the clean energy transition. Canada must do better. Coastal first nations continue to lead with clarity, courage and unwavering commitment to their territories and to the well-being of all Canadians.
Instead of excluding indigenous governments, sidelining British Columbia and pursuing backroom deals with oil patch lobbyists, the Prime Minister must meet directly with first nations in a spirit of true partnership and transparency. They have been clear: a moratorium with exceptions is no moratorium at all, and the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea is not a sacrifice zone.