Darshan Singh Kang

[Shooting in Quebec City, February 13th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, today I stand in the House in solidarity with all of our Muslim brothers and sisters who mourn the victims of the terrorist attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City.

We must move forward by addressing the hate speech that incites violence against innocent Canadians because of their faith, ethnicity, place of birth, sexuality, or gender. We have shown the world that Canada is a tolerant country, but this does not mean we have made the hate go away. Instead, we must all pull together to continue to be a welcoming and thoughtful nation.

I encourage Canadians to visit a mosque, a church, a temple, a synagogue, or any other place of worship. Learn more about our fellow Canadians. Only through active engagement can we continue to thrive together and continue to be the true north strong and free.

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, the irony of the member's question is that it was the previous Conservative government that approved the pipelines and could never get them built. You have been skeptical that we have not delivered. First, you were saying to approve the pipelines. Now we have approved them and now you are saying it will not get built. You are the ones who are creating this uncertainty in the province.

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

No, we are diversifying in renewable energy and investing in other projects. That is how we are diversifying the economy.

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, that is why the government has been investing money in innovation and technology. We have been investing money. It is not going to happen overnight. It is going to take time. Mr. Lougheed tried to diversify the economy. He bought Pacific Western Airlines and Telus and tried to diversify the economy. It is not going to happen overnight. He had some good projects.

We are working on diversifying the economy. That is why we approved the pipelines, so that we can take our dependency off the U.S. market, so that we can get the world price for our oil. We were not getting the world price for our oil because we were landlocked. Once those pipelines are built, we will be diversifying and selling our oil to other markets, and that will bring in—

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, our government has been working with Albertans and Canadians to create those much-needed jobs. That is why the government approved the pipelines. We have been investing in innovation and technology. There is $240 million going toward innovation and technology. Does the member know what got the oil out of the oil sands, to begin with? It was innovation and technology.

We are trying to diversify the economy by investing in clean energy, and that will create jobs. We want to have a mix of fossil fuel energy, solar, and wind energy so we can be a leader in the world economy.

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

By 1982-1983, the Alberta energy sector again collapsed and everyday Albertans and Canadians suffered the consequences. Unemployment in Alberta rose from 4% to 10%. I invested in real estate during these good times but paid a heavy price like lots of other Albertans.

I am a certified welder and I also lost my job during that time. I could not afford to pay my bills and my family lost their home and everything. I worked as a taxi driver to keep food on the table. It took my family over a decade to recover.

In the early 2000s, the price of oil began to rise again and the cycle continued. Prices climbed from $30 to $150 U.S. a barrel in 2008. That year saw a 70% reduction in the price of oil and it returned to $31 U.S. per barrel. After 2009, the prices began to rise again, but this was short-lived.

The energy sector crashed again in 2014. Alberta unemployment shot up to 10%, but this time our government provided Albertans with historical investments to help with the recovery. Our government increased time for employment insurance for Albertans, adding an extra 20 weeks for a total of 70 weeks to those who had never claimed employment insurance in the past. Our government has provided over $250 million in stabilization funds, $240 million in university research funding, and continues to invest in infrastructure with a total of 127 projects in Alberta worth over $4.2 billion. There has been more funding invested in infrastructure in the last year compared to the previous five years combined. We approved two new pipelines, which will create an estimated 27,000 jobs in Alberta alone by ensuring we protect the environment while growing our economy.

Our government's investments and confidence in Alberta has led to a return of private capital investment in our province.

Wood Mackenzie estimates that oil and gas companies will be doubling new project developments in 2017.

Canada's oil rig count has more than doubled from 81 to 193 since early January. This is well above the 126 oil rigs that were active in Canada at the same time last year.

Alberta's GDP is expected to grow by 2.3% in 2017, due in large part to rising oil prices and production. The Conference Board of Canada recently outlined 2017 will see Alberta begin to recover. Oil prices averaged $52 U.S. in January 2017, compared to $31 U.S. in January 2016, with estimates this trend will continue.

These times have been tough on my fellow Albertans who work in the energy sector and their families, but our government is working for them. We have their back.

To my fellow Albertans and the party opposite, please work with us, do not be skeptical. Our government is working hard to create a more prosperous Alberta and a more prosperous Canada.

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Edmonton Mill Woods.

I have been a proud Albertan and Calgarian since 1970 and have lived through the boom and bust cycles of the energy industry.

Alberta's energy resource sector is a source of high quality and well-paying jobs not just for many Albertans but for many Canadians who come to our province to live and work. That means there are an estimated 190,000 direct Canadian jobs linked to the energy industry with countless other indirect jobs that depend on the industry. These are fellow Albertans and Canadians who face financial insecurity at the moment international oil prices drop.

We must remember that oil is an international commodity. When prices are high, Albertans and Canadians thrive but every time we see boom and bust it is the international nature of the market that has devastating consequences on the lives of everyday Albertans.

Our boom first began in 1973, causing prices to soar from $3 to $15 U.S. per barrel. The sector proved to be an excellent source of well-paying jobs but demonstrated to be very volatile. By the 1980s, the price of oil was well over $30 U.S. a barrel. Again people flooded into our province to take advantage, again unemployment evaporated, again housing prices skyrocketed, and again everyone profited.

[Natural Resources, December 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, our government has approved the Trans Mountain and Line 3 pipeline projects. These projects will generate significant economic benefits, including $4.5 billion in government revenues, money that can be reinvested in our health care, education, environment, and a clean energy future. The Trans Mountain and Line 3 projects will create more than 22,000 direct jobs.

We may come from different political parties with different perspectives, but I am asking my Alberta Conservative colleagues to stop acting skeptical about getting these pipelines built. Our goal of bringing prosperity back to Alberta is the same. Their current attitude is hurting investment into our province and slowing recovery of jobs to Albertans.

My Alberta Liberal caucus colleagues and I offer to work with members across the way to ensure the pipelines are built, the Alberta economy grows, and the environment is protected.

I wish everybody a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

[Infrastructure, December 7th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, the Minister of Infrastructure announced over $100 million in funding for Calgary public-private projects. This money is aimed specifically to help plan and design the Green Line. However, all over Alberta, there are small communities who have never received any money for public transit.

My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. How will these small communities benefit from our historic investment in public transit?

[Natural Resources, November 30th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government announced several important decisions that will create more good, middle-class jobs while protecting environmentally sensitive areas.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources please inform this House what steps are being taken to create the prosperity we seek while preserving the environment we all cherish?