Evidence of meeting #88 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was management.
A recording is available from Parliament.
1 p.m.
Liberal
Sophie Chatel Liberal Pontiac, QC
If I understand your recommendation correctly, we’d need to set up a round table with all the stakeholders involved to reach the best possible agreement.
Is that right?
1 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
I think this could help, but, as I said, this kind of policy is not part of my expertise.
1 p.m.
Liberal
Sophie Chatel Liberal Pontiac, QC
I think that’s a very good suggestion.
I’d also like to hear Mr. Hudon’s opinion on this topic.
1 p.m.
Liberal
1 p.m.
Member, Forum for Leadership on Water
First, I’d like to clarify that I do not have an interest in the St. Lawrence Action Plan. I haven’t been involved for years, but I recognize the relevance of this initiative because it pays off in the long term.
One of the major aspects of the St. Lawrence Action Plan at present is the renewal of the St. Lawrence River Navigation Coordination Committee. This committee is composed of representatives from commercial shipping, recreational boating, municipal affairs, research and scientific organizations, and so on, to ensure the sustainable development of the St. Lawrence River.
The Navigation Coordination Committee has been in existence since the beginning of the St. Lawrence Action Plan. However, we are entering a phase where, as elsewhere, governments want to maximize the positive spin-offs of navigation…
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
Unfortunately, we have to stop here to vote.
We’ll be back to finish the round with Ms. Pauzé and Mr. Bachrach.
I’m going to suspend the sitting for about 10 minutes.
Thank you.
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Francis Scarpaleggia
My question to the committee is, do you want to keep going after 1:30 so that we do a second round?
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
1:15 p.m.
Liberal
1:15 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I’d like to thank all the witnesses for coming, especially those who travelled here.
Ms. Beisner, you’re co‑director of Canada’s largest freshwater ecology research network, which is something. The Interuniversity Research Group in Limnology, or GRIL, is indeed one of the leading networks on an international scale. You head a team of scientists, but you also publish popular science articles, in which you communicate your knowledge to readers.
Have you seen a growing interest not only from academia, but also from the general public, in the issues you deal with?
1:20 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
Yes, absolutely.
We recently received funding from the Quebec government to do more projects for the general public. For example, we created a podcast called “Balad’eau.” We also organized webinars. This is something we wanted to do in person, but COVID‑19 meant we had to do it virtually. In the end, it worked out well, because we recorded the webinars and made them available to people afterwards. We have a lot of public participation. At the end of the webinars, there’s a question and answer period. Questions are often based on concrete cases. For example, someone with a lakeside cottage will ask us questions about problems specific to their situation.
In my opinion, what the public needs is a concentration of knowledge.
I also think that the Canada Water Agency could promote best practices in water management. For example, it could explain to river, lake and streamside residents how they can better protect their environment. It could do the same for agricultural and mining activities.
1:20 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
I would even add industrial activities.
You’re talking about the Canada Water Agency. Has anyone from this agency contacted your group?
1:20 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
No.
1:20 p.m.
Bloc
1:20 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
When there was a call for briefs, we submitted one too.
1:20 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
From what you’ve told me, it sounds like people are calling to tell you about problems with their lake or other water source. However, these are not watersheds. If I understand correctly, these are hydrological problems. When people have problems related to their lake, they want answers. But the answer lies on a much broader scale.
Can you tell us about it?
1:20 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
The message we’re trying to convey is that activities around a lake or stream have consequences. As I mentioned in my speech, even when activities are carried out far from the waterway of interest, they are often the cause of the problems. So we need to work with all the stakeholders in a watershed to manage specific, localized problems.
1:20 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
If I understand correctly, people need to be educated. They ask you questions about what they could do in the specific case of their own lake, but the question is broader than that.
Some water experts believe that we need to have a frank and wide-ranging discussion on conflicts over the use of the resource. Earlier, you raised the issue of agricultural and industrial activities. There’s a conflict between biodiversity and resource preservation, on the one hand, and the economy and all the infrastructure serving communities on the other.
Can you tell us about water use conflicts in the 21st century?
1:20 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
Conflicts are most common in southern Canada, which is densely populated. I don’t know what the best way to safeguard aquatic environments is, but one way would be to protect what hasn’t yet been too impacted. We need to ensure that there are north-south corridors, and also at altitude, so that certain organisms can find themselves in suitable aquatic environments, even in the wake of climate change. This is really important.
We need to move towards environmental planning and give priority to certain areas. There are many discussions underway following last year’s COP15 and the target set to protect 30% of the planet by 2030. I’m taking part in the work currently being done in Quebec to define these areas, be they freshwater or terrestrial. These are very important discussions to have.
1:20 p.m.
Bloc
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
We have about 30 seconds left together.
You talk a lot about what can happen for watersheds, so on a local scale. On the other hand, you say that the Canada Water Agency could help, although they haven’t contacted you.
Don’t you think that local management would be the best solution?
1:25 p.m.
Professor and Researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, As an Individual
I’m not sure I understood your question. When you talk about local management, do you mean management by the people who live near the watershed?
