Mr. Speaker, I would like to come back to the subject of the Irving Whale , as the information provided by the Minister of Environment puzzles me.
Allow me to take you back 23 years, to make sure we are all fully aware of the threat it poses. I will do my best to report the facts as accurately as possible.
On September 7, 1970, the Irving Whale , a tanker with a cargo of 3,200 tons of oil, sank off the Magdalen Islands.
A certain number of leaks were stopped, but several common murres covered in oil have recently been found on the shore. Based on these discoveries, an environmental specialist speculated that having reached its stress limit, it is only a matter of time before the tanker bursts open.
What bothers me is not having the faintest idea what actions have been taken. Let me explain. To a very specific question on her intentions concerning the release of the Marek report on the condition of the wreck, the minister answered that she would make it available as soon as possible. However, discussions with Coast Guard officials seem to indicate that there would actually be two separate reports instead of just the one, as I thought initially.
On top of the Marek report, there would be one from the CEF consulting firm on environmental hazards. Both reports, by the way, are still secret.
Is there not cause for concern when you ask the Minister of Environment if her department has a specific plan to avert a potential environmental disaster and she answers that she is looking for a financial solution?
If the financial aspect carries so much weight, perhaps the financial cost of some 3,000 tons of oil spilling on the shores of the Magdalen Islands and Prince Edward Island should be evaluated.
If only out of respect for the citizens who are living under the constant threat of a spill, the time has come to show transparency and tell the truth about this disaster waiting to happen.
You will agree with me that, had this wreck been in Halifax harbour, we would not have had to wait 23 years for action. Things would have moved much faster.
Last Thursday, the Minister of Environment said she opted for refloating the tanker.
If this issue has been moving like never before during the past few weeks, as she reported, can the Minister of Environment tell us why it is that the people who are living with this time bomb will have to wait until the summer of 1995 for refloating to be undertaken?