Statement made on 15 April 2010 by Senator Claudette Tardif
Hon. Claudette Tardif (Deputy Leader of the Opposition):
Honourable senators, Senator Hervieux-Payette has highlighted the fact that China is interested in importing raw bitumen from Alberta's oil sands. These imports would go against the Prime Minister's 2008 campaign promise to prevent any company from exporting raw bitumen. It is true that the government announced yesterday that it was committed to implementing its campaign pledge.
However, we see today in The Globe and Mail a report that Sinopec has veto power over the crucial decision whether to upgrade more oil in Alberta or to export the raw bitumen for processing. There is also a plan by Enbridge Inc., in Calgary, to build a pipeline to the West Coast to facilitate bitumen exports to the Pacific Rim.
In light of these two issues contradicting the campaign pledge of not exporting raw bitumen, can the leader tell us how the government will honour its pledge?
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