Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, what is the minister going to do to make Canada relevant again in the Arctic?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, we have heard a lot of words from the minister. We have not heard once about whether she has actually shown up in the Arctic and asserted our sovereignty as a minister. When will she do that? I think all Canadians are expecting her to do it soon.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, the minister just referred to speaking with her Russian counterpart, but I have not heard about her Chinese counterpart. When will that be?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, six years is a long time. If it is a priority, why has the government not got to it sooner? The minister is talking about getting to it. When is she going to actually do it?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, we are not only being affected by our Russian and Chinese colleagues across the way, it is also affecting our relationship with our North American colleagues, namely the U.S. In another article, dated December 1, 2021, U.S. General Glen VanHerck stated: The commander of the North American Aerospace Defence Command says China and Russia are developing new ways to attack the continent as he waits for political direction to modernize NORAD’s outdated early-warning system.

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, what is the Minister of Foreign Affairs doing to assert Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic physically?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, one thing I will say about our previous Conservative government is that we showed up. Our previous Conservative prime minister went to the Arctic many times to assert our presence physically in the Arctic. What is the Minister of Foreign Affairs doing to assert Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic diplomatically?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, to which countries specifically has the minister reached out to assert our claims?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, frankly, talk is cheap. My colleague from Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman stated in a recent article: “The Russian government is opening military bases in the Arctic and the Chinese Communist regime is expanding its Arctic naval fleet beyond the capabilities of Canada and the United States combined,”....

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, in an interview, a senior Canadian Armed Forces officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the changes were long overdue. The significance of this announcement is just another example of Canada's irrelevance internationally. Does the minister think we are irrelevant internationally?

Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22  Madam Chair, I will splitting my time tonight with the member for Calgary Nose Hill. It is about priorities, and Arctic sovereignty is a priority for our party. We talked about a recent buildup of Russian presence in eastern Europe tonight, as was mentioned by my colleagues from Wellington—Halton Hills and Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, but we have also seen a rise in Russian ambitions in the Arctic, as Marcus Kolga mentioned in a recent article.

House debate  Madam Chair, I respect the member from Quebec, who is my former colleague on the natural resources committee. All I would say is that the industry originally wanted an agreement back in 2006. They wanted it in 2015 as well. Much of our industry, as the member well knows, and mills from my area, Mackenzie, are moving south.

House debate  Madam Chair, I would do one better than that, just like what similarly happened when we had the agreement before and $4 billion was returned to Canadians as a result of that deal. My hope would be that those tariffs that have been collected in the past get returned to Canadians in this deal, which will be inked hopefully very soon.

House debate  Madam Chair, I will commend the minister and our member as well. Our member from Saskatchewan has been working on the U.S. file for many years. I will give credit where credit is due. At least it is happening now. We hope some good things can happen, but I will remind the member that we had great fanfare when we had a sitting president and a prime minister who shook hands.

House debate  Madam Chair, I would like to thank the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier for sharing his time with me tonight. Actions speak louder than words, and that is a theme I am going to get to. The lack of a softwood lumber agreement has affected my riding greatly. We are in northern B.C., where lumber and forestry are what we do.