Five-term Etobicoke North MP Roy Cullen has been appointed as the Opposition critic for Natural Resources.

The Liberal MP brings much experience to the portfolio; he was a vice-president in the Noranda Forest Group (now Norbord), as well as having served as assistant deputy minister in the British Columbia Ministry of Forests from 1980 to 1987.

"I've taken a keen interest in a number of issues, including softwood lumber," Cullen said in an interview Friday. "I think the issues I'll be raising will be around the fact we don't seem to have a coherent energy strategy in Canada."

The Opposition critic portfolio covers mining, oil and gas, as well as the forestry industry.

Among the issues, Cullen said, is that Ontario is eliminating coal-fired generating stations while Canada is exporting more energy to the U.S.

"We're exporting more energy to the U.S. at a time when we could be adding more energy to Canada," he said.

Cullen's defense of Canadian resources against U.S. interests dates back years to the U.S. government's prohibitively high tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.

He said there has been "some movement" on the part of the Americans subsequent to former prime minister Paul Martin's discussion with the Americans in New York a few years ago.

Martin used as leverage, Cullen said, the fact that the U.S. government wants to reduce its dependency on Middle Eastern oil and gas.

"We have options regarding oil and gas, but we need a NAFTA process that deals with the way we resolve disputes," he said. "I encouraged Mr. Martin to communicate with the Americans to come up with some answers."

 

Cullen will partner with International Trade critic Dominic LeBlanc on the softwood lumber file.

Where once the Canadian forest industry was at a cost advantage vis-a-vis the energy sector, Cullen said a high Canadian dollar and soaring energy costs now leaves the industry at a competitive cost disadvantage.

The energy sector is a key driver of economic activities beyond rural Canada, he said.

While the sector uses advanced technologies, it also creates thousands of jobs in areas such as equipment and supplies, financial services, sales and marketing support as well as legal services.

One job Cullen said he would not be seeking is the Liberal Party leadership.

"I think the party needs younger blood," he said. "The candidate I'll support is the one I feel has the best vision for Canada, the best direction for our country and our party. For me, the choice will be ideas driven."

Cullen was first elected in a by-election in 1996. He was appointed to the House of Commons Standing Committee on natural resources and government operations in 1997.

He served as parliamentary secretary to the deputy prime minister and minister of public safety and emergency preparedness Anne McLellan in the previous parliament.