Ottawa - The issue of potash has been in the news lately. There has been no shortage of rhetoric as the various stakeholders have let their views been known. Some have asked why I have not been expressing my view publicly.
 
The simple answer is that I am not allowed to.
 
As a Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet of The Government of Canada I am bound by the confidentiality provisions of the Investment Canada Act. Until the Minister of Industry makes his decision we are prohibited from going into the specifics of any proposed transaction that is under review.
 
The Minister is charged with the responsibility of determining if the proposal is of net benefit to Canada. In the past the Liberals approved every single one of the proposals that was put before them. This is no longer the rubber stamp process of the past.
 
We understand the intrinsic value of the resource to the people of Saskatchewan and we will weigh all considerations in the Investment Act in the determination of ‘net benefit.’
 
I will continue as I have for the last 10 years to put the interests of Cypress Hills Grasslands first.