Evidence of meeting #14 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was plants.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of B.C.
There is debate about Scotch broom, but maybe that's not the right place to put all of our resources. There are habitats to protect, but you might need to protect the new Scotch broom from coming in.
December 1st, 2011 / 12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB
So early detection of an invasive species is critical. That's what you're saying.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB
Dr. Quinney, regarding your research, given that the lampricides that were developed were species-specific and seem to have been used for decades without any negative effect, can we extend that kind of thinking to the possible development of GMO organisms that could attack invasive species? Would that be a fruitful research avenue?
Provincial Manager, Fish and Wildlife Services, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Yes, it would be a legitimate area of research to explore.
In reference to your previous question on whether we have examples of success stories, we could cite the example of purple loosestrife. Biological control has been successful in solving, in many areas, the purple loosestrife problem in southern Ontario.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB
In Manitoba, where I'm from, the purple loosestrife was a significant issue a few years ago. While I've seen plants in my travels from time to time, I'm quite pleased with how few I'm seeing now. So somebody is doing the right work there.
I appreciate the panellists' willingness to consider all the tools in the toolkit from possible GMO organisms to the use of pesticides. Native prairie restoration would not be possible without the use of some herbicides.
Ms. Wallin, can you talk about the B.C. group's judicious use of safe herbicides in the control of invasive species? Where are you doing that?
Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of B.C.
We don't do the operations. We work with partners who do it. It's being used. With giant hogweed, you need to get down to the roots of the plant to kill it or else you have people in safety suits.
There are certain plants that need to be treated with herbicides. If it's safe for people and safely registered through Health Canada, then it could be used as one of the tools. So it depends on the plant, it depends how it reproduces, and it depends where it's located.
Coordinator, Ontario Invasive Plant Council
I was just going to mention that we need to use a few different methods in order to get control of something like dog strangling vine or any plant as well. For us, we work with partners to develop best management practices for specific species.
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette, MB
I have just one last comment, not a question necessarily.
To go back to one of the earlier points that I made, we have to be very careful to distinguish between harmful invasives and some invasives that have settled in and are actually helping things out. Dr. Quinney is very familiar with the introduction of the wild turkey to Ontario, a new species. Again, where I come from, Lake Winnipeg, the smelt invaded from the States via a whole bunch of avenues and has now become a very important forage fish for the economically important walleye there.
So I think it's critical for us to focus on those species that actually are causing human and ecosystem damage.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
Thank you, Mr. Sopuck.
Time has expired.
I want to thank each of the witnesses for being here. It was very enlightening and informative. We thank you so much for taking your valuable time to be with us today.
My understanding is Ms. Wallin needs to head to the airport and be done by quarter to, and it is quarter to.
Executive Director, Invasive Species Council of B.C.
Thank you very much. That's appreciated.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
Thank you, again.
Colleagues, we are now going to give the floor to Ms. Liu. She has a motion that she wanted to introduce.
NDP
Laurin Liu NDP Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I want to thank all our witnesses. We will certainly consider their recommendations.
The notice of motion I would like to introduce to the committee is the following:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee hear Karen Dodds, Assistant Deputy Minister at Environment Canada, no later than Thursday, December 8, 2011, regarding the cuts to ozone layer monitoring initiatives.
This motion may be amended and discussed.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
Thank you.
The motion's in order.
Do we have any speakers to the motion?
Ms. Rempel.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
Just to Ms. Liu's comment about being open to amendment, we'd like to move to amend the motion to read:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee hear Karen Dodds, Assistant Deputy Minister at Environment Canada, no later than on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, regarding the plans for ozone layer monitoring initiatives.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
We can deal with that as a friendly amendment, which doesn't exist, but if we have consensus we'll....
It's exactly the same motion as what we had before. We're changing the dates to Tuesday, December 13.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Centre-North, AB
And then the last part to read “...regarding the plans for ozone layer monitoring initiatives”.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
So “regarding the plans”, okay.
Do we have acceptance of that as a friendly amendment?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
We do. Okay.
So that's the new motion.
Any more speakers on this motion? I saw Ms. Duncan's hand.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Okay, thanks.
I'm just concerned about the words “ozone layer monitoring”, because we have ozone near the ground and we have ozone higher up. The way this is worded, this would suggest only in the upper atmosphere. So I might suggest that we just do “ozone monitoring”.