Ottawa, ON – As we face a dangerous and unpredictable world, Canadians know that they can’t dictate the actions of global leaders or the outcome of conflicts abroad. And that is why we must focus on those things we can control.
The recent war in the Middle East and closing of the Strait of Hormuz has caused massive disruptions to the global energy market. Our friends and allies are desperate for new sources of oil and gas. Exporting these resources would boost the value of our dollar and help insulate Canadians from the price shocks they now face.
That’s why today, David McKenzie, Conservative Member of Parliament for Calgary Signal Hill, introduced Private Members’ Bill C-264 to repeal Bill C-48, the Liberal government’s ban on oil tanker traffic on our Pacific coast, a major roadblock for Canada’s energy sector.
Eliminating this ban will allow for pipeline projects to be built, bringing Canadian oil to Asia and reducing their reliance on dirty dictator oil from the Russian Federation. An additional West Coast pipeline will also benefit Indigenous Canadian enterprises such as Eagle Spirit Energy Holdings.
“If the government is serious about making Canada an energy superpower, they should support this bill,” said McKenzie. “This is the moment of truth. If they care about diversifying our trade and leveraging our abundant natural resources, they should support removing this roadblock in the way of Canadian greatness.”
C-264 also aims to restore balance between Canada’s east and west coasts. The NGO Clear Seas reports that an estimated 240 tankers shuttle crude oil every year between a storage facility in Montreal and a refining facility in Lévis.
Moreover, in Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately 90 international tankers visit the Whiffen Head facility to export oil “supplied by offshore shuttle tankers.” Canada’s west coast should not be closed to its own nation-building development projects.
“The latest crisis proves that C-48 was a massive, unforced error,” McKenzie concluded. “Eliminating this law will allow for greater economic cooperation between British Columbia and Alberta and will give our country a chance to play a pivotal role in the world once more.”