Hon. Clément Gignac: Hello, minister.

As the former Quebec minister of natural resources, I want to recognize the great work you’ve been doing and point out that Canadians should know how important natural resource development is as a means of creating wealth while respecting the environment.

I want to continue the conversation that my colleague started about the Atlantic Loop. I’d like to hear more of your thoughts on it. The 2030 timeline is very short when it comes to getting infrastructure built. I’d like to know what kind of financial support could be granted for this project.

Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P., Minister of Natural Resources: It’s a very important issue. Certainly, the timeline is short for a project involving so much infrastructure. We have worked hard with our provincial and territorial counterparts. I have a meeting with Minister Fitzgibbon on Wednesday to discuss the issue. Of course, energy and electricity fall under provincial jurisdiction. We know that we have a role to play in supporting the project, particularly when it comes to funding.

Obviously, we can’t have a situation where there is a cost for the people living in the provinces and territories in question, and we have some tools that we want to use, but right now, we are negotiating with our provincial and territorial partners. I am very optimistic that we can come up with a plan that works for Canada and for the provinces and territories, including Quebec, since Quebec is where the energy is coming from.