Christine Stewart

[The Environment, May 25th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister said, we put the commissioner in place and we respect his report.

In the last two years the government has budgeted $82 million to deal with toxic substances. Senior officials in all departments who carry out studies with regard to toxics are meeting together, analyzing the commissioner's report and will respond with an action plan.

[The Environment, May 12th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act is an important piece of legislation which is coming back to the House at report stage. The member will have every opportunity to debate it and I am sure at the end of the day he will support it.

Enforcement of that legislation is a priority for my party.

[Canadian Environmental Protection Act, May 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-32 is a bill about protecting Canadians' environment and health. I want to congratulate and thank my caucus colleagues on this side for their extensive work in committee to improve the bill.

If the package that was presented to the House today at report stage is carried through, it will create the best piece of environmental protection legislation in the world. Its principles of pollution prevention and precautionary approach to pollutants and the virtual elimination clauses are very important principles that this act engages and will be there to protect not only the health of adults but the health of children as well.

[Freshwater Exports, May 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the government made an announcement in February that we were calling for an immediate moratorium on the withdrawal of bulk water from watersheds in this country. All provinces, with the exception of Quebec, agreed to the moratorium.

We said that we would be developing an accord with all of the provinces and territories in this country with regard to the withdrawal of bulk water from watersheds. We expect that we will achieve that. We will be amending the International Boundary Waters Treaty Act. We are going to develop with all of the provinces and territories a strategy to protect all freshwater as it exists in our freshwater basins.

[The Environment, May 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of the Environment with very skilled staff in my department, we take action every day to improve the environment for Canadians. We work to improve air, water and all nature issues.

I am very pleased today to announce our first tranche of projects approved in this country where we will assist people at the grassroots to improve air, water and climate change, nature issues. One hundred and sixteen community groups across Canada will receive—

[Transportation Of Dangerous Waste, May 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, my department works very closely with provinces and other jurisdictions internationally to make sure that all of the articles of the Basel convention are upheld within this country and around the world.

My department has a protocol that is rigorously carried out, making sure that we are notified of all transports of hazardous waste and all manifests are inspected before those wastes are allowed to travel within this country.

[The Environment, May 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite incorrect to say that nothing is being done for these citizens and those who have had recent concerns about contamination on their properties.

Tests have been done. They are undergoing analysis right now and there will be reports out on them shortly.

[The Environment, May 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Sydney tar ponds issue is of as great concern to the government as it is to the provincial government and as it is to the local community in Cape Breton.

We are carefully supporting the JAG process, the process that brings together all levels of government with private citizens.

We have provided funding to this group. There have been studies done. There has been some remediation going on. The process is ongoing. We will be there with the funding as is requested by the JAG.

[Nuclear Waste, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I believe I can respond to the question about PCBs.

My department has had no request to authorize such a shipment into this country. If we were to get such a request we would review it and any action we would take would be absolutely according to the policy of the government.

[Endangered Species, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his very reasonable question. The government is very concerned about protecting species at risk. We have laws today like the Canadian Wildlife Act, the Migratory Birds Act and the Fisheries Act which do protect species, but much more needs to be done.

I have been consulting with all stakeholders and provinces across the country for a year and a half. I will be bringing in a strategy to protect, together with the stakeholders, all species at risk, animals and plants. It will be law. It will be policy and program in partnership, which is very important to protect species at risk.