Hon. Percy Mockler: Once again, I would like to talk about the Atlantic Loop. Honourable senators, the Atlantic provinces are concerned and need reassurance and support from the federal government regarding the Atlantic Loop. Our daily newspaper, the Acadie Nouvelle, printed an article today under the headline “The Atlantic Loop is running out of steam.”

One of Atlantic Canada’s English-language newspapers, the Telegraph Journal, out of New Brunswick, ran an editorial under the headline “Feds must save Loop projects.”

My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate, Senator Gold. Can you tell us how many meetings have taken place between federal government representatives and representatives of the Atlantic provinces since September 2022 regarding the Atlantic Loop in order to resolve the problem we are currently facing?

Senator Mockler: It is quite a bump in the road. To the Government Representative in the Senate, Senator Gold, for the people in Atlantic Canada to meet their 2030 clean energy targets, the federal government must follow through on its commitment to support the Atlantic Loop as a nation-building project: a $5-billion initiative.

To inform the house, this project has had the verbal support of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities and the Minister of Economic Development. However, it is not clear, honourable senators, how much money the federal government is willing to invest in a nation-building project for Atlantic Canada.

Senator Gold, this project is essential for the people of New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada to meet our 2030 clean energy targets. Can you please tell us if the federal government is committed to getting the Atlantic Loop back on track without any bumps in the road? How much money are they willing to commit to this project?