Mr. Speaker, last week the Gagnon-Easter committee held two rounds of consultations on the Irving Whale , a barge which sank 24 years ago between Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. These were the first public hearings into the wreck of the Irving Whale . I would like to sincerely congratulate the 24 witnesses who appeared before the Gagnon-Easter committee, the associations, scientists, municipalities and individuals whom we heard from and who made their position known to us.
I would also like to praise the professionalism and excellent co-operation I received from my colleague, Mr. Wayne Easter, the hon. member for Malpèque, Prince Edward Island. This democratic exercise allowed us to travel to our respective ridings and to listen to the public's concerns about this ecological time bomb.
I might also say that we accomplished more than the Minister of the Environment, now the Leader of the Opposition, ever did more than three years ago.