Liberals shut down debate on Trans Mountain study at Natural Resources Committee
Shannon Stubbs, Conservative Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, issued the following statement after this morning’s Natural Resources committee meeting:
“Today, I moved a motion at committee requesting an urgent study of the TransMountain pipeline expansion. The Liberals on the committee immediately shut down debate after I made a comprehensive argument to all members to support the motion, as if the expansion is a non-issue although Kinder Morgan’s deadline of May 31 is fast approaching.
“This pipeline is crucial to oil and gas workers across the whole country, to the Canadian economy overall, to the 43 First Nations communities who have benefit agreements worth more than $400 million and to all the First Nations communities directly impacted by the expansion who support it.
“It’s important for market access, for Canada’s competitiveness and for Canada’s long term prosperity and standard of living because of the outsized importance of the energy sector to the entire Canadian economy. The Trans Mountain expansion will benefit provincial and municipal governments across Canada to fund important social programs and services. Despite Kinder Morgan having completed years of the most comprehensive and rigorous regulatory process with the highest standards in the world and both regulatory and political approval of the expansion in the national interest more than a year and a half ago, it is at risk because of ongoing and additional obstacles, delays, roadblocks, and legal challenges, which are expected to continue even if the Expansion can proceed.
“Clearly, the Natural Resources committee should have prioritized the TransMountain expansion crisis above existing and planned business, supported the motion and undertaken this important work immediately to contribute to resolution of this urgent issue. In fact, a Liberal member of the Finance committee pointed out last week that the Natural Resources Committee would be the appropriate committee to do so, when the Liberals adjourned debate on a similar motion by MP Tom Kmiec one week ago. But the Liberals continue to ignore the overwhelming concern about energy investment and development in Canada, and the significant consequences for the whole country, with no plan whatsoever to provide certainty for the future of the Trans Mountain expansion and for Canadian energy development overall.
“Canada’s Conservatives will continue to champion Canadian energy, innovation, and jobs, and will continue to fight for the TransMountain expansion.”