Natural Resources  Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Albertans are out of work. There is a new crippling carbon tax on everything, and now apparently a plan to phase out world-class energy production. The oil sands provides 425,000 jobs for Canadians and partnerships with thousands of businesses across Canada.

Job Losses in the Energy Sector  Mr. Speaker, I have enjoyed many of the hon. member's words this evening, but I would like to ask her some questions about an issue on which we have both been working over the past year, and that is the impact on policy decisions and on the regulatory process, and its direct impact on investment and jobs.

Regional Economic Development  Mr. Speaker, in the past year, over 200,000 workers in western Canada have lost their jobs. Hundreds of Alberta-based businesses have either downsized or permanently closed their doors. However, the Liberals never offered bailouts to the devastated business owners or families that lost everything in Alberta.

Natural Resources  Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told an audience in Peterborough that he plans to phase out the oil sands. That was tough news for the 425,000 Canadians who rely on the oil sands and related businesses for their paycheques. However, they are not the only ones who should be worried.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, it is a new year and a new minister, but employees of the Vegreville immigration case processing centre are still reeling. In response to my Order Paper question, the department said that closing the centre involved extensive consultation with another government department, but of course, not with the employees, the town, or local businesses.

Oil and Gas Industry  Mr. Speaker, Canada's energy is the most environmentally and socially responsible oil and gas in the world. The oil sands give jobs and prosperity to every region in Canada, but the Prime Minister wants to “phase them out”. Here is what the oil sands mean for Canada: $4 trillion for the economy, $490 billion in transfer payments, and 905,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs over the next 20 years.

Questions Passed as Orders for Return  With regard to the announced closure of the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta: (a) what are the details of any studies or assessments the government has conducted regarding the impact of the closure on processing times, broken down by study or assessment, including the (i) date, (ii) title, (iii) conclusion or findings, (iv) methodology, (v) title of individual or organization which conducted the study or assessment, (vi) date the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship was apprised of the findings, (vii) internal tracking or file number; (b) for every briefing document prepared in relation to the closure, (i) what is the date on the document, (ii) what is the title or subject matter of the document, (iii) what is the Department’s internal tracking number, (iv) who was the document prepared for; (c) on what date and by what method were the following individuals made aware of the closure, (i) the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, (ii) the Premier of Alberta, (iii) the Mayor of Vegreville, (iv) the local Member of the Legislative Assembly, (v) the employees impacted by the closure; (d) what are the details of any consultations conducted with any of the individuals referred to in (c), including the (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) method, (iv) title of the government official who conducted the consultations, (v) title, date, and file number of any documents resulting from the consultations; and (e) which Cabinet committee approved the closure?

Questions Passed as Orders for Return  With regard to the announcement by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship on October 27, 2016, that the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Case Processing Centre located in Vegreville would be moved to Edmonton: (a) what is the address where the new centre will be located; (b) what specific renovations to the new centre will be required to accommodate the move; (c) what is the total cost for the renovations required in (b); (d) what is the itemized breakdown of expected renovation costs; (e) what is the expected completion date for the renovations; (f) how many public servants are anticipated to work out of the new centre in Edmonton once it opens; (g) were any economic impact studies conducted related to the closure of the Vegreville centre on the Town of Vegreville and, if so, what are the details of these studies; (h) did the government do any analysis on the impact that the closure of the Vegreville centre would have on the tax base for the Town of Vegreville, and if so, what are the details of these analyses; and (i) does the government plan to compensate the Town of Vegreville for any lost revenue as a result of having a diminished tax base due to the relocation of this centre and, if so, what are the details of such compensation?

Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to speak to Bill C-31 in support of the free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine on behalf of the thousands of Ukrainian Canadians who call Lakeland home. As we have heard so often today, the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement, which was successfully negotiated and concluded in July 2015, will immediately eliminate duties on 99.9% of imports from Ukraine into Canada and 86% of Ukrainian tariffs on Canadian products, including industrial goods, forestry and wood products, fish and seafood products.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister defended ripping 280 jobs out of Vegreville. Here are some comparisons. It is like removing 290,000 jobs from Toronto, 187,000 from Montreal, 113,000 from Vancouver, 60,000 from Ottawa, and 55,000 from Edmonton. This unnecessary and unfounded edict will hurt families, businesses, and communities in the region.

Employment  Mr. Speaker, November job numbers show the most unemployment in Alberta in a quarter century. More Albertans lost their jobs last month than in all of the rest of Canada. There have been 13,000 more full-time jobs lost, right before Christmas. Today the Minister of Natural Resources claimed that Albertans have a spring in their step.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, the minister has claimed that everyone working at the case processing centre in Vegreville will have a job in Edmonton. I look forward to holding him to account on that. However, of course, officials have confirmed that the relocation provisions will only apply to less than half of the current employees.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise here again to advocate for the people in and around Vegreville, Alberta. It is especially important that I speak on their behalf, because the employees of the case processing centre in Vegreville have been told that they are not allowed to talk publicly or on social media, so I want to share some of their voices.

Canada Pension Plan  Madam Speaker, so far the government is making things worse for the people who create jobs, who start businesses, and who allow Canadians to support themselves and their families. At the very least when the government is making a change like this, it should consult Canadians and it should consult the people who would be impacted the most.

Canada Pension Plan  Madam Speaker, here is what Charles Lammam and Hugh MacIntyre said: Instead of expending political energy on debating CPP expansion in the misguided belief that many middle- and upper-income Canadians are not saving enough for retirement, the focus of public debate should be on how best to help financially vulnerable seniors.