moved for leave to introduce Bill C-421, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (nitrate reduction).
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member from Davenport for seconding this bill.
Today it is my privilege to table a bill that is the product of a contest entitled “Create Your Canada”, which was designed to engage young people in the political process. I want to thank all of those who entered. I want to thank the judges, who were the staff at the Nanaimo Youth Services Association, who reviewed submissions and selected this bill.
This is an act introduced to maintain nitrate levels below the 2.9 milligram per litre in watercourses to protect fish, amphibians and their habitats. This would be achieved by providing tax incentives to farmers and other landowners who set aside a section of land around watercourses. This land will act as a vegetative buffer, naturally decreasing the amount that enters the water.
As the students noted, we have some of the best water quality in the world. The students wanted to develop measures to both protect the waters and the farmers.
I congratulate Brody Cormons, who is in Ottawa with his mom, Cindy, and the team from NDSS, Seamas Finnerty, Jack Freeman, Emily Jackobson, Naomi Jackson, Mei-San Lamoureux and Chris Tait. These students from Nanaimo—Cowichan decided to be active participants in our political process. I want to thank them very much for their interest and their hard work.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)