Mr. Chair, committee members, we're here to talk about freshwater. I urge you to give water protection the attention that it deserves.
We're responsible for 20% of all the freshwater on the planet. Millions of lakes and rivers are in danger of dying, and hundreds of native species are at risk of extinction. For example, all the invasive mussels in Lake Huron amount to 90% of its biomass.
Like many Canadians, I have a favourite lake. I'm sure that you do too. If we don't act, aquatic invasive species will move into your lake. They're already in mine.
The federal government plays a key role in the fight against aquatic invasive species. It must do better. We need national legislation that prohibits boats from being transported while their drain plugs are in place and that includes fines proportional to the value of the boats.
Transport Canada must enforce its current legislation and require the use of water filtration and sterilization systems on all boats equipped with one or more ballast tanks. Boats should be classified according to their risk of transporting invasive species. Licence fees should be proportional to this risk.
Above all, it's important to support the fight against invasive species. As members of Parliament and representatives of Canadians, whether you like it or not, you have a stake in this fight.
Before I answer your questions, I have one for you. Are you strong enough to take up this fight? If you plan to show weakness by hiding behind distractions such as the carbon tax or other issues unrelated to our waters, please give way to someone strong enough to stand up for our waters.
Water is life.