Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Beauport—Limoilou.
I am a little confused today. I am a new MP, and I naively thought that the debates in the House were meant to advance better policies for all Quebeckers and Canadians. I have come to realize that, unfortunately, they are instead being used as an opportunity to doggedly criticize everything the government puts forward. Over here, we have Conservatives saying that the bill does not go far enough. They want carte blanche. Over there, we have Bloc members saying that we are going too far and that we, the Liberals, are the ones who want carte blanche. Maybe what that really means is that we have hit the sweet spot for getting projects of national interest off the ground while staying on track to meet our climate targets and fulfill our commitment and obligations to indigenous peoples.
What is clear is that Canada must assert itself as a confident and independent nation that is capable of building, producing and trading on its own terms. The trade actions taken by our closest partner have made it clear that our economic prosperity cannot depend on another country's decisions. We are at a critical juncture that will determine the economic future of our children and grandchildren. Now is the time to harness the potential of Canada's rich natural resources, industrial innovation and internal trade, and to invest in the infrastructure that we need to move forward. Now is the time to move forward with projects of national interest that will drive economic transformation.
We are ready to work with provincial, territorial, municipal and indigenous partners to eliminate delays and make responsible decisions. Bill C‑5 will help get projects built that will produce and transport energy, goods and services from coast to coast to coast. These projects will focus on infrastructure to facilitate trade and get goods and services to the people who need them.
For example, by speeding up project approvals, the legislation would help Canadian farmers who have state‑of‑the‑art equipment to irrigate their fields but lack the access roads and infrastructure needed to get their agricultural products to market. It will also help streamline regulatory processes and cut costs, which will leave more money in the pockets of hard‑working Canadian families, workers and communities. This is why we were elected: to make life more affordable.
Investing in infrastructure that facilitates trade and supports the movement of people and goods across Canada is good economic policy. That is why we have already invested in the national trade corridors fund, a $2.3‑billion fund to support infrastructure projects that improve the flow of goods and people within Canada and to international markets. It has already funded 81 projects and supported trade-enabling infrastructure projects, including access roads, railways, airports and ports, to ease bottlenecks and create more efficient and fluid trade corridors.
We also created the Canada public transit fund, which has an annual budget of $3 billion. These investments support the creation of transit-oriented communities to help attract investment, encourage housing construction near employment hubs and reduce traffic congestion. This can improve the flow of goods in and out of urban centres, particularly near ports, rail terminals and industrial areas. By supporting the development and modernization of public transit systems, this fund is helping to increase labour mobility and attract workers to urban centres, particularly to give them access to jobs in the logistics and service manufacturing sectors, promote trade, and contribute to economic growth.
There has never been a better time to diversify Canada's trade. As we have seen, we need to be able to rely on trustworthy partners. We need to be able to diversify our exports. Our entrepreneurs and businesses have been trying to do so for a long time, and they are finding it difficult. We all need to work together to help them out. The federal government's export diversification strategy already aims to expand Canada's reach by increasing overseas exports by 50% this year.
With a total of 15 free trade agreements with 49 countries, 36 foreign investment promotion and protection agreements and many other negotiations under way around the world, we are well positioned to strengthen our trade alliances and partnerships and create new ones to usher in a new era of economic growth and prosperity for Canadians.
Canada needs to build new critical infrastructure at a pace not seen in generations. We need to support the highways, railways, ports and airports that will power our economy. We need to support our farmers and get our agricultural products to market. We need to facilitate the flow of people, lumber and other goods while catalyzing the housing industry and building more homes faster. We also need to support Canada's many key industries, including both clean and conventional energy, and connect them to global markets. We did not ask to withdraw from our partnership with the United States, but the world is changing rapidly in the face of shifting geopolitics. If we want to be at the forefront, we need to build faster, smarter and with greater certainty. By becoming our own best ally, we can strengthen our national sovereignty and build the strongest economy in the G7.
Bill C-5 will let us seize the opportunity before us. It will let us invest in critical trade-related infrastructure that makes it easier for goods and people to move within Canada. It will streamline regulatory processes to speed up project approvals and reduce duplication and costs. It will improve trade corridors to diversify and strengthen Canada's trade relationships. It will also support labour mobility so that skilled workers can go where they are needed the most. That is what creating one Canadian economy is all about.
To grasp this opportunity, we need to use every tool at our disposal. Not only do we have everything the world needs, we have everything the world wants: Apart from our natural resources, the world needs Canadian values. These are not the values of a single party, but the values of Canadians and Quebeckers. These are the values at the core of Bill C‑5. We are a resilient people, unafraid of big projects. For proof, look anywhere in Canada, from Labrador to Nunavut to British Columbia.
This is a time to be proud. The fact is, Quebeckers and Canadians have spoken, and they are ready. They are ready for Canada to take its rightful place. They are ready to take charge and achieve great things. Bill C-5 offers our generation a unique opportunity to transform 13 economies into a single Canadian economy and make Canada the strongest economy in the G7. I truly hope that we can put partisanship aside, put the sound bites aside and get down to the real work of passing this bill.