Amarjeet Sohi

[Natural Resources, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we have a clear plan, and we have instructed the National Energy Board to reconsider recommendations, taking into account the effect of the project related to shipping. Second, we will present to the NEB all the work that has been done by the government on protecting the ocean as well as coastal communities.

We will move forward on this project with proper consultation and a meaningful dialogue with indigenous Canadians and communities so that we can move on in the right way.

[Natural Resources, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's energy sector has been a source of well-paying middle-class jobs and will remain a source of well-paying middle class jobs for decades to come. That is why we are working really hard to expand our global, non-U.S. markets, so we can get a better price for our natural resources and create thousands and thousands of jobs that have been lacking because of the failed policies of the Harper government, which failed to build a single pipeline to non-U.S. markets. We will do it the right way.

[Natural Resources, September 28th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are working and will continue to work hard to make sure that projects such as the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion move forward in the right way. What the hon. member is proposing are the failed policies of the Harper government, which did not get a single pipeline built to expand our global, non-U.S. markets.

We are going to do things differently. We are going to engage with indigenous peoples to make sure we are respecting their constitutional right to be consulted in a meaningful way, and we will take action on the environment.

[Forestry Industry, September 27th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.

[Natural Resources, September 26th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to subsection 7(2) of the Department of Natural Resources Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the annual report for 2018, “The State of Canada's Forests”.

[Natural Resources, September 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that.

We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go—

[Natural Resources, September 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market.

We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way—

[Natural Resources, September 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples.

We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.

[Natural Resources, September 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.

We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.

[Indigenous Affairs, September 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that.

A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.