Ottawa, ON – Kelly Block, Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, and Shannon Stubbs, Conservative Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, released a statement following the final vote on Bill C-48 in the Senate:
“Today is a bad day for Canada’s energy sector and the entire Canadian economy. Bill C-48 will help landlock Canadian energy exports and cost the Canadian economy billions of dollars. It will rob Indigenous communities in Northern BC and across the Prairies of potential economic development opportunities.
“This bill is an open and transparent attack on Canada’s oil and gas sector. It is an anti-pipeline bill poorly masquerading as an environmental bill. Environmental legislation should be based on science, but Bill C-48 is not. The Liberals announced it 25 days after the 2015 election, with consultation of Indigenous communities, no scientific evidence, and no independent environmental, safety, or economic analysis. Rather, it is part of Justin Trudeau’s intent to ‘phase out’ Canada’s oil.
“The Nisga’a, the Lax Kw’alaams, the 35 First Nations along the potential Eagle Spirit energy corridor, and hundreds of other Indigenous communities and Indigenous-owned businesses, oppose Bill C-48.
“Nine premiers and all three territories raised grave concerns with Justin Trudeau’s anti-energy policies and their severe impact on the Canadian economy. Instead of engaging the premiers, and accepting their constructive solutions, Justin Trudeau ignored and dismissed them, along with the millions of Canadians they represent, and rammed through C-48 and C-69 in the dying days of Parliament.
“While Justin Trudeau is dividing Canadians, killing pipeline projects, and forcing Canadians to pay his job-killing Carbon Tax, Andrew Scheer has a plan to unite Canadians, advance economic reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, use green technology instead of taxes to lower Canada’s emissions, lower global emissions by exporting Canada’s world-class technology and ethically-produced natural resources, and get Canada’s energy sector back to work. That is why an Andrew Scheer led Conservative government in will repeal Bill C-48.”
