Lakeland, AB –Shannon Stubbs, Conservative Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, released a statement following the vote on Bill C-69 in the Senate:
“These amendments help reduce the catastrophic damage of the Liberals’ ‘no more pipelines’ Bill C-69, but even as amended, this legislation will damage Canada’s economy and significantly hinder major infrastructure and natural resource projects in Canada. That is why a Conservative government will repeal this job-killing legislation.
“Because of the wide impact of this legislation – affecting farmers diverting flood waters, cities and provinces building major new roads, rail links or recycling plants, as well as energy and natural resource development – this Liberal government owes it to Canadians to properly study the significant changes the Senate recommended.
“If the Liberals shut down debate, reject the Senate amendments outright, or ram through changes in a matter of days, they will confirm once again they are playing politics with fundamental economic issues that will affect every Canadian.
“After causing three years of regulatory uncertainty, from the announcement of the Liberals’ interim process in January of 2016, and after ignoring for three years indigenous, municipal and provincial leaders in nine of ten provinces, that in the dying days of this Parliament, this Liberal government could rush through changes that will have a dramatic impact on the Canadian economy.
“Conservatives opposed this legislation for the last year and a half because Bill C-69 imposes open-ended timelines for approval, increases political interference in the review process, and introduces vague project criteria that will allow anti-resource activists to significantly delay approved projects in the courts.
“The benefits of rural infrastructure, oil and gas development and transportation, mineral extraction and energy development from nuclear, hydro or renewables, directly impact Canadians from coast to coast. The Senate has provided ‘sober second thought’ on Bill C-69. It is incumbent upon the Liberals to take the time to ensure proper due diligence is done to understand the Senate amendments.”
