The time for debating Canada’s natural resources strategy is over, and the country needs to start taking action to make sure it’s not left behind with the global renewable transition, according to Lisa Raitt, former minister of natural resources and former deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

“We (Canada) possess the natural resources that are going to be needed when we have the transition to a more decarbonized world and we also have, of course, plentiful oil and gas to get us to that decarbonized world as well,” Raitt said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg's Jon Erlichman on Thursday.

“What Canada has to do is sell itself to the rest of the world, but the world knows, they fully understand Canada competitive position. What we need to do then is to be able to prove to them and show them that we have the skills, the desire and the opportunity to move together; to go from talking about what we are, to showing what we can do and put the projects in place.”

Raitt is co-chair of the Coalition for a Better Future with former deputy prime minister and former minister of natural resources Anne McLellan.

The organization focuses on finding economic and social solutions “that can be implemented today to ensure a high quality of life for future generations.”

Raitt said with both her and McLellan’s experience as natural resource ministers, they are aiming to “help governments and corporate Canada understand each other” in regards to what they need to strengthen the country’s renewable resource presence.

“Time for talk is kind of done Jon, we actually need a real urgency and making sure that we're going to be part of the new place (renewable transition) coming,” she stated.

TAKING THE POLITICS OUT OF CANADA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH

Raitt thinks it’s important for all political parties to come together to help spur economic growth in Canada.

Through the Coalition for a Better Future, Raitt said they are trying to “take the partisan politics out of the overall desire for the Canadian economy to be long-term prosperous, but inclusive and sustainable at the same time.”

“The unique opportunity for Canada is that we do see a lot of similarities, regardless of your political stripe, on what we want to accomplish together; and that is to be part of the (renewable) transition that is coming,” Raitt said.

“We want to be part of an economy that is going to be inclusive and sustainable as I said, and we just need to make sure that everyone's on the same page so that we can do it together.”