Evidence of meeting #12 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was phosphorus.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Is it reasonable to assume that it's below the water table?
5:05 p.m.
Acting Regional Director General, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's beyond my expertise.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Okay.
In the possibility that we have extreme weather events—and we are having them. We can't mention the term “climate change” around here, but in extreme weather events, it's maybe not unreasonable to assume....
Even this winter there has been a massive amount of snow. There may well be a pretty significant thaw very quickly, and you might have a flood.
If you had a flood in that area, how would it impact on the storage of this nuclear waste?
5:05 p.m.
Acting Regional Director General, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That's beyond our mandate and our area of expertise to discuss today.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
It is an issue that comes up pretty regularly, I have to say.
You also made a curious comment about zebra mussels helping with water clarity but contributing to algae. How does that work?
5:05 p.m.
Acting Regional Director General, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Patrice is probably a better person to answer this question, but I will say that we see water clarity improve, basically because they're out-competing the native species in the watershed. As a result of that, you have the excrement, I guess, from these zebra and quagga mussels, which is producing more protein or phosphorus-type products, and that enhances the growth of algae blooms.
Do you want to add to that, Patrice?
February 13th, 2014 / 5:05 p.m.
Patrice Simon Director, Environment and Biodiversity Science, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
No, I think that's good, Dave.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Even though they kind of attach themselves to the sewer pipes, water pipes, or whatever else goes into the Great Lakes system, their excrement actually contributes too.
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Oh.
I'll give away my 15 seconds, unlike the ungenerous ones among us.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
You are very generous. Thank you.
I'm sorry, but our time is up. I see we're right on 5:10.
I want to thank our witnesses for being here today. Thank you for your expertise and involvement.
We'll now go in camera to deal with committee business.
[Proceedings continue in camera]