Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be able to revisit my question on heritage lighthouses and the Mississagi Strait lighthouse in particular. I will take a brief moment to acknowledge the people who have been driving this issue and keeping me up to date with the efforts of the La Cloche—Manitoulin Lighthouse Association as it strives to become the caretaker of this historical gem. I recognize the hard work of people such as Bill Caesar from Meldrum Bay and Rick Nelson, curator of the Kagawong museum, for their passionate efforts to save our historic lighthouses. I imagine they are watching this intently. They are joined by other groups across the country who are working to preserve these grand structures, which are not merely surplus in the eyes of their communities but are wonderful reminders of our history.
I also acknowledge the open door treatment I have received from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans who has shown that he understands the important role that the Mississagi lighthouse plays in the local economy, and has kept himself up to date on the issues that surround the potential divestment of this asset. I also pass on my best wishes for a speedy recovery. We certainly look forward to having him back here in the House.
From the time it became known that Canada's surplus heritage lighthouses would be divested, the La Cloche—Manitoulin Lighthouse Association has been hard at work to ensure it would preserve Manitoulin Island lighthouses, and the Mississagi Strait lighthouse in particular, as tourist sites and anchors for the local economy. Currently, the Mississagi site supports a nearby restaurant and hotel while receiving many visitors a year. However, lately people have not seen the grand old structure in the same condition as they would have when it was a functioning lighthouse that played a significant role in our Great Lakes maritime history. Instead, they see a structure that is just hanging on. Tarps adorn the building to protect it from the elements and it could not be described as anything near shipshape.
Yet, this is an official heritage site as designated by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office and is the cornerstone of significant efforts to foster a tourist industry centred on Manitoulin lighthouses. In an area with relatively few economic opportunities, it is a unique attraction that locals hope to preserve, promote and develop. In fact, there is already strong interest on the part of both Canadian and American tour operators to develop a theme-based tour centred on Manitoulin lighthouses generally, and the Mississagi lighthouse in particular.
While local municipalities and residents are willing to take on responsibility for area lighthouses, these cash-strapped municipalities simply do not have the resources to bring these structures up to a reasonable standard of repair from their current state. They feel it is imperative that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as the present owner of these structures, ensure the lighthouses are transferred to local municipalities in reasonable condition or with adequate financial resources to fund essential repairs including leaking roofs and deteriorating foundations. Simply put, the costs to repair these aging structures are prohibitive for Manitoulin municipalities acting alone, and it will take federal support to ensure this initiative is possible.
The future caretakers of the historic and socio-economically significant Manitoulin lighthouses implore the federal government to do the right thing. Will the government commit to handing off these structures in a reasonable condition or with the funds needed to ensure the lighthouses are shipshape?