Pot and Pipelines dominate Chamber MPs breakfast discussion

“Everybody knows that the National Energy Board approved that pipeline, 157 conditions that the company had to meet,” continues Calkins. “They’re obviously able to meet those conditions and ready to begin construction. Those are construction jobs that Canadians need right now and of course when construction is done, there are jobs at both ends of those pipelines, long-term jobs, good paying jobs.”

“It’s costing us all a lot of money having our oil and gas trapped within the North American market place,” adds Calkins. “This is about as serious as it gets, if we can’t do something as simple as build a pipeline east and west in Canada, then we’ve got some serious issues in the confederation. Issues that are actually threatening I think the fabric of this confederation and we better find a way forward peacefully on this before it gets out-of-hand.”

Dreeshen echoes those sentiments by saying many countries know of Canada’s excellent products, great security and great regulations but can’t understand why we can’t move our products around the world.

“It takes world-wide investment in order to make sure that are products are moved,” explains Dreeshen. “They’re looking at us and saying, ‘Why would we spend the time and effort there because there’s a lot of other places in the world that also have products’ and if Canada can’t get its act together, then that’s what they’re going to do.”

“As we continue to add regulations and throw up these barriers for business, we’re going to find there’s a lot of issues in the future,” he goes on to say. “The problem is we’ve pitted one group against another and therefore we have to work through that rhetoric. That’s the concern we have and everybody should have that concern. Just do it, that’s really where we’re at right now.”

In terms of the pending legalization of marijuana in Canada, both Calkins and Dreeshen are against it.

Dreeshen says it’s imperative we look after the safety and well-being of young people in this regard and says, “You don’t do that by normalizing a drug that can cause serious damage to young people.”

Calkins says it’s municipalities that will mostly have to deal with the implementation of it.

“One could make the argument the taxation revenue that comes from it but the problems are all going to be local and the money is all going to go federal, so that’s the disconnect” exclaims Calkins. “We heard from one municipal leader here today that if they’re going to be forced to do this, they would at least want that revenue stream and that’s not an unreasonable request.”

by Sheldon Spackman

Pot and Pipelines dominate Chamber MPs breakfast discussion

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