Accelerating Canadian Energy Sovereignty: A Pragmatic Path Forward

Accelerating Canadian Energy Sovereignty: A Pragmatic Path Forward

As the Member of Parliament for Lakeland and the official opposition's shadow minister for energy and natural resources, I am thrilled to announce that our leader, Pierre Poilievre, has unveiled the Canadian Sovereignty Act. This groundbreaking legislation aims to streamline and accelerate the development and construction of Canadian energy resources, thereby ensuring our country's sovereignty in the face of growing global competition.

The Canadian Sovereignty Act is a direct response to the Liberal government's detrimental energy regulations, which have stifled innovation, hindered economic growth, and compromised our energy security. For far too long, the Liberals have imposed burdensome policies that have throttled the growth of our energy sector, including the Canadian oil and gas cap, the "No New Pipelines, Never Build Anything Anywhere" Bill C-69, the Shipping Ban Bill C-48, the federal carbon tax, the electric vehicle sales mandate, the plastics ban, and the Liberal censorship law affecting the oil and gas sector.

These short-sighted policies have not only hampered our energy sector but have also had far-reaching consequences for our economy, our environment, and our people. The federal carbon tax, for instance, has disproportionately burdened low- and middle-income Canadians, while the electric vehicle sales mandate has proven to be an unrealistic and costly goal for many households. Moreover, the plastics ban has been criticized for its lack of clear targets and timelines, while the Liberal censorship law has gagged oil and gas companies from sharing their environmental achievements and innovations.

In stark contrast, the Canadian Sovereignty Act presents a pragmatic and sensible approach to energy development. By abolishing the Liberals' anti-energy policies, our proposal will unlock the full potential of our energy sector, stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, and ensuring energy self-sufficiency, security, and sovereignty.

Furthermore, our leader, Pierre Poilievre, has called on Mark Carney to authorize at least two major export pipelines, a road to the Ring of Fire, and one new greenfield LNG project by March 14th – exactly one year since he assumed the role of Prime Minister. This is a critical step toward holding the Prime Minister accountable for his campaign promises and ensuring that our energy sector is developed efficiently, safely, and affordably.

It is crucial to note that Prime Minister Carney's commitment to Canadian energy and resource workers has been called into question, given his alignment with an anti-development government for the past five years. Despite his assertions during the campaign, many oil and gas, mining, uranium, and significant infrastructure projects continue to stall due to federal red tape and delays that he has yet to address.

As Conservatives, we have consistently advocated for Canadian resource workers and companies, fighting against the Liberals' anti-resource development laws, policies, and taxes at every turn. We supported an amendment to improve Bill C-5, but we did not oppose it, as we recognize that it provides only a temporary workaround to the damage inflicted by the Liberals' policies.

Today, we urge the Liberal government to join us in supporting the Canadian Sovereignty Act. This is a critical opportunity for our country to reclaim its energy sovereignty, stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, and ensuring energy self-sufficiency, security, and sovereignty. I intend to vote for this act; will the Liberals do the same?

Shannon Stubbs