Yes, you start the process. The process starts with the public. Right now, what's been happening is the public has not been involved. DFO transferred our light station to Parks Canada, and we read about it in the paper. DFO, of which you are the august parliamentary secretary, came and dismantled our assistant lighthouse keeper's house--just took it away overnight--when we could have used it for community purposes. The process starts with a public petition and with the announcement that the minister will accept petitions over time.
It was Senator Forrestall's idea to put in these time milestones. I didn't think it was necessary, but he thought of them as maximums, so that the bill, as Mr. Stoffer says.... Mr. Stoffer has done more work on this light bill I think over the eight years than anyone else, and Mr. Keddy has too, but you've been outstanding on this, and if you don't put in the time milestones, nothing will happen. It can happen fast or it can happen late, but the milestones are there to make sure there's some sort of reporting process.
You can pass this and get royal assent, and I tell you that you'll have petitions--not a lot, because people have to do business plans. To address Mr. Blais' point, they have to get together, decide how they're going to do this, and then submit an application. You know how government works; it takes forever. We're just hoping the lighthouses don't fall down.
My office is dark today, my BlackBerry goes, my telecommunications are cut off, my able assistant Sarah Cuff is already unemployed as of last night, and my retirement will not start until royal assent is received on this bill, so my determination will continue.
I want to thank you all for your attention and for all your work over the years--and Mr. Miller's work on this latest bill--to get this through. People care about their light stations. They care about their heritage. They care about their history.