All Canadians should support oil sands development. It provides tax money, individual and corporate, to the federal government; paying for services for all Canadians, many billions of dollars.
Expansion of sales to the Far East will multiply the amount of dollars.
Estimates are that oil sands in Alberta will create more than $307 billion in tax revenuse across Canada over 25 years. $187 billion of that goes to the federal government. Over 450,000 jobs are provided in that 25 year period. Seven percent of Ontario jobs result from oil sands activities. Some 25 percent of oil sands related employment is outside Alberta.
I have not added the Saskatchewan portion of oil sands development, which is growing as leases for their portion of the oil sands are developed.
British Columbia's oil and gas production currently is linked to supplies sent to the U.S. as well as Canada. They will benefit in jobs and consequent tax income as they provide services such as hosting Keystone pipeline and opening up more resources to the Far East. Their metallurgical coal resources are important to Chinese and Korean industry, and better connections to the west coast are needed for that resource as well.
Those who oppose development of Canada's resources are reducing the ability of all Canadians to have the services they demand.
Harper and the contingent of business leaders accompanying him to China will work toward free trade between the nations and the development of Canada's resources. China has billions invested in Canada, in petroleum, mining, forests and other resources. That investment will be increased.
Speedy implementation of pipeline and other means of delivering Canada's resources abroad is necessary for Canada's continued growth.
Development of the petroleum reserves in Canada's portion of the Arctic Ocean will soon follow; the first research and exploration in the Arctic Islands and the Beaufort offshore was carried out with the aid of the government of Trudeau's time, benefiting from his foresight.