Shannon Stubbs, Member of Parliament for Lakeland and Conservative Shadow Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, held the Liberal government to account in Parliament and committee on its record of rising costs and stalled major resource projects.

On April 22nd, Stubbs pressed the Liberals in Question Period on skyrocketing food prices and the growing Canadian affordability crisis the Liberals caused:

“Canadians should be able to afford essentials themselves … The PM says he is like Canadian war hero Sir Isaac Brock. Well, people ration food in wartime, but the Liberals make Canadians ration it in peacetime, right? Since 2015, the cost of beef is up 69%, baby formula is up 84%, eggs are up 44%, and the PM has cut only one-third of Liberal fuel taxes for one-third of the year yet keeps his federal industrial carbon tax, fuel standard and other red tape that hikes costs for growers, shippers and Canadians at the grocery store. We are a year in. When will the PM drop photo ops and one-third measures, and cut taxes on food and fuel so Canadians can afford to thrive, not just survive?”

Stubbs also asked how the Prime Minister can ignore Canadians’ struggles and lecture them about just how good they have it, when Canada’s food inflation is the highest in the G7 for the fourth straight month, gas prices are up 62%, diesel prices up 93%, and $1 trillion in investment has left Canada, since 2015. 

On April 24th, Stubbs asked the Liberals if they would ever get spending under control and agree with Conservatives to cut unnecessary costs:

“As always, Liberals love to spend other people’s money and blame everyone and everything else for their own record. The Bank of Canada confirms that high deficits drive high interest rates. Since 2015, the Liberals’ crazy deficits have skyrocketed. That means higher mortgage payments, higher car payments and higher credit card bills. High Liberal spending drives high inflation, and Canadians pay the price. Every buck the PM spends comes from Canadians. Will Liberals agree with Conservatives to cut consultants, foreign aid and health care for fake refugees; bring down costs at grocery stores, at pumps and for homes; and make Canada affordable for all?”

At the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, where Stubbs serves as Vice-Chair, she questioned the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources on the Liberals’ failure to deliver on promises to build major energy infrastructure and expand Canadian exports beyond the United States.

“You and your Prime Minister have promised to make Canada an energy superpower. You say Canada is in a crisis because of our biggest trading partner, customer, and competitor who is threatening Canada. We need to get beyond those markets. You have promised a pipeline to the Pacific. That’s an inter-jurisdictional pipeline for export, indisputably federal jurisdiction. Then, on what date will you want a private-sector proponent to begin construction on the Pacific pipeline that you promised Canadians, of which the majority want it to be built?”

Stubbs also pressed the Minister on national security risks tied to foreign involvement in Canadian resource development and asked the Minister if he would rule out majority Beijing ownership of Canadian resource development in oil and gas or critical minerals. The Minister did not rule it out.

She also spoke with Chris Cooper, the CEO of LNG Canada, on Canada’s declining competitiveness in global LNG markets and the impact of Liberal regulatory barriers on investment and project development:

“Since 2015, the Liberals have only approved 4 of 18 LNG projects proposed in Canada, since they came to power. Of course, only the one that Conservatives enabled the federal-provincial joint review of, which was LNG Canada 1, is being constructed. In that same time frame, the U.S. approved 26. 16 are built and operating, and the U.S. is now the world’s lead LNG exporter, while Mexico is now poised to pass Canada, all in that same timeline. In general, as a proponent that is almost there, could you comment on why Canada is so far behind on exporting LNG that the world wants and needs, particularly in regard to timely approvals, clarity and certainty in policy, and regulatory conditions for investors and proponents?”

On April 28th, in the Special Joint Committee created by the Building Canada Act, that established the Liberals’ Major Projects Office, a special committee made up of both MPs and Senators, Stubbs questioned Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister of Internal Trade, President of the King’s Privy Council, and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy, on the outsourcing of Canadian jobs and the government’s lack of clarity on major infrastructure projects:

“LNG Canada outsourced fabrication of 35 modules to China. The lead contractor already has proposed fabrication yards in China for LNG Canada Phase 2. I’ve asked the Energy Minister this question, he evaded it. So will you confirm that projects referred to the MPO will not outsource vital Canadian steel 

and fabrication jobs to a regime that the Prime Minister and every expert knows is Canada’s biggest security threat?”

Stubbs also pressed the Minister on whether the Prime Minister has identified a Pacific pipeline as critical to Canada’s national interest, economic security, and unity:

“Has the Prime Minister ever said to you that the pipeline to the Pacific is critical for Canada’s national interests, for affordability, for security, to get beyond the US as the primary market for Canada’s most valuable exports, and for Canadian national unity?”

The Minister would not answer.

Stubbs also spoke with Dawn Farrell, the CEO of the Major Projects Office, in the same committee. She asked her whether the government has provided any clear direction that a Pacific pipeline meets the national interest test required to move forward and, on the staffing, and secondment and salary top up structure in the government’s $246 million Major Projects Office for taxpayer transparency and accountability.

On April 15th, Stubbs voted in favour of the Conservative Opposition Motion in Parliament that called on the Prime Minister to adopt the Conservative plan to suspend all taxes on fuel until the end of the year to give Canadians a break at the pump. She also voted against the Liberal government’s Spring Economic Update that shows the Liberals have no fiscal discipline and revealed that Canada will pay $59 billion in debt interest which will cost every Canadian family $3400. Stubbs voted against the Liberal government’s motion to seize control of parliamentary committees to give themselves a majority, which limits the tools of Opposition MPs to hold the Liberals to account for Canadian taxpayers and voters.

Stubbs will continue to fight for the people and priorities of Lakeland in Ottawa, including lower costs, more freedom, less red-tape, responsible fiscal management, and the timely approval of private sector projects to make Canada affordable, sovereign, self-reliant, and secure.