Last week MLA's from across the province came together in an act of political solidarity and unanimously voted to send a strong message to Ottawa by calling on the federal government to halt and repeal the Impact Assessments Act. Bill C-69 as it's known, would overhaul the environmental review and approval process for resource projects and is one of the main bills dealing with pipelines. The MLA from Lloydminster Colleen Young told us more about the vote and what they are trying to do.

"The government and the opposition both voted in favor of sending a message to the federal government in regards to stopping bill C-69."

While the vote itself is symbolic and holds no legal weight it goes to show that our politicians here in Saskatchewan are adamantly opposed to this bill.

"We are trying to ensure bill C-69 is either stopped or at least that the voices that work in the oil and gas industry are heard and the companies and business here in our province aren't affected by the fact that bill C-69 will prevent us from having more pipelines built in the future and that our oil and gas industry will not survive."

When asked about what the most ideal outcome for her party would be Ms.Young didn't mince words

"We would like to see bill C-69 punted. Its a bill that was put forward that really hurts the oil and gas industry not only in Saskatchewan but across the country, as we all know our oil and gas industry is the second leading contributor to the revenues of not only Saskatchewan but is also a major contributor to the revenues of Canada, and of course supports many families 34,000 direct and indirect jobs here in Saskatchewan alone are in the oil and gas industry but as we all know about 120,000 job loss has happened in the oil and gas industry since there has been no pipelines built or no way to get our oil to tidewater or to global markets." 

Ms.Young and the Sask party as a whole are starting to feel like this legislation could be the breaking point for our province.

"We want the federal government and the Senate to be aware there are grave concerns, it is a crisis in our country and they need to be aware of that and if this bill is to go forward in any way shape or form its need to be done right and done right the first time so that investors can feel confident in the oil and gas industry and in our country and in our province in particular and help to keep the jobs that are very valuable to the citizens of our province." 

"We are fighting the good fight and the right fight and we are standing up for the people of Saskatchewan."