Environment Committee on May 13th, 2010

[Scott Vaughan]

Yes. Thank you for the question.

In a submission we did last week at the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, we talked about a chapter that we tabled in November 2009 on the federal government's management of toxic chemicals generally.

One of the areas in which we said there was significant progress—an important initiative with important progress—involved various programs at Heath Canada, in collaboration with other departments, including Statistics Canada and Environment Canada. It involved putting in place biomonitoring plans nationally in order to identify current levels of exposure for different toxins in the blood of Canadians, as well as, from that baseline information, then detecting changes. We've been very clear that this was an important and significant step.

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley, BC]

Thank you.

In closing, Chair, I have a comment. When the Auditor General pointed out that the north has been waiting for 11 years, I want to point out that we were not government for 11 years. We've been government for four years and we're seeing things dramatically improve.

We still have a long way to go. I think we've heard both from INAC and from Environment Canada that they have appreciated the recommendations of the commissioner and the Auditor General and are working hard to improve. And our government is committed to improve.

But also in the spirit of good news, from budget 2010, Mr. Woodworth brought to our attention: the $8 million over two years for support for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, for community-based environmental monitoring and reporting and baseline data collection through the Northwest Territories cumulative impact monitoring program; the $11 million over two years to streamline the northern regulatory process; and the $18 million over five years to commence the pre-construction design phase for the Canadian High Arctic Research Station.

There have been a lot of good things. The budget process, Chair, is not over. Hopefully we'll have a change of heart in the opposition members and they will support this very good work.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

Thank you.

On that note, we want to thank our witnesses for coming in and sharing so candidly with us the issues in the Northwest Territories.

Auditor General Sheila Fraser, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Scott Vaughan, Assistant Deputy Minister Patrick Borbey, and Director General Sue Milburn-Hopwood, thank you very much.

With that, I want to wish all of you a great break week back in your ridings. I'll have a motion to adjourn.

[An hon. member]

So moved.

[The Chair, Conservative, James Bezan]

We're out of here. The meeting is adjourned.