moved for leave to introduce Bill C-596, an act to amend the Navigable Waters Protection Act (Fish Lake and other waterways).
Mr. Speaker, I rise again to introduce legislation that would extend environmental protection to Fish Lake, Little Fish Lake, Big Onion Lake, Wasp Lake, Taseko River, and Beece Creek. This legislation would restore these bodies of water to the schedule of waterways protected under the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
These bodies of water would have been severely impacted by the proposed Prosperity Mine as documented by not one but two federal review panels conducted by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The proposed mine would have turned pristine Fish Lake into a tailings pond.
By gutting environmental regulations, including the Navigable Waters Protection Act, the government has broken trust in its ability to balance natural resource development with building healthy, sustainable communities.
This legislation is a small step in the right direction of restoring a more responsible and balanced approach.
I encourage all members of the House to support the bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)