Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Environment and Sustainable development, I think it is essential and very appropriate to make a comprehensive review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Our future depends on the measures taken today. This is why it is vital to review the effectiveness of the act and, consequently, the effectiveness of the departments concerned by this legislation.
The location of my beautiful riding of Terrebonne, which is bordered by the Prairies River, the Mille-Îles River and the majestic St. Lawrence River, and which is close to the island of Montreal, leads me to give particular attention to the management of our environment.
My constituents are directly affected by the environmental decisions and policies implemented here. It is therefore essential for them, and for me, that we take a close look at how the act has evolved and how it has been managed. As I said earlier, given its location, my riding would be an appropriate place for the establishment of institutions dedicated to the environment and environmental technologies. This would make of one of the most populated ridings in the country a leader in the field of environment.
Environmental protection depends on the sound management of allocated budgets. The idea is not to pass a law and then vote a budget to ensure its efficiency. Rather, we must closely monitor the implementation of the act, as well as the activities of the various organizations, and the departmental policies. Since the environment and health departments are the two responsible for the implementation of the act, it is essential that they both send experts to testify before the committee. This will enable us to better check and monitor how the act is being implemented.
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act provides the necessary tools to protect the environment. It includes both preventive and corrective measures. We, members of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, must see to what extent these tools are being used. It should be remembered that the Department of the Environment has a budget of close to three quarters of a billion dollars. With that kind of money, some great things can surely be achieved.
Our review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act will certainly give us an opportunity to determine whether these goals and objectives have been achieved after five years of implementation. This act was sanctioned on June 28, 1988. Its ultimate goal was to help Canadians enjoy a healthy environment. It replaced and broadened the Environmental Contaminants Act. The new act has led to uniform guidelines, standards and regulations across the country.
I should explain some of its provisions to help people better understand what the Environmental Protection Act stands for.
When it came into effect five years ago, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act was aimed chiefly at regulating toxic products. It listed the products that were considered to be harmful to the environment, as well as the implementing regulations and standards designed to ensure that these products are used wisely.
Another part of the act banned other toxic products that were not listed so that any product entering or made in Canada had to undergo a review to determine whether it should be included in the list of toxic products.
The act emphasizes what we call toxic products. One of the deficiencies we will have to address is that the act does not contain any reference to the concept of sustainable development.
The people who introduced the Canadian Environmental Protection Act in 1988 were certainly full of good intentions, but the concept of sustainable development was not yet in force. In reviewing the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development will surely give the principle of sustainable development all the importance it deserves.
In explaining this to you, I will avoid explaining the whole Act, and I will conclude right away, because we have a little agreement with my friends opposite so that they too can conclude on this. That is why I would like to say that it is rather strange that under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the minister is supposed to make an annual report on how it was applied and on the state of the environment.
This was probably the favourite argument trotted out by Liberal members of the environment committee when we talked about the environment commissioner. The Liberals then put
forward their argument that an environment commissioner would issue an annual report on the environment, which is already being done.
But we will surely be able to discuss it when the Act is reviewed. I now want to particularly emphasize the importance of working non-stop for the environment. A report published a few days ago by Statistics Canada, on Human Activities and the Environment, 1994, which we had a chance to read this week, leaves me and, I am sure, other hon. members uncertain as to whether the money invested in the environment is well spent.
It says that Canada is among the top seven producers of waste per capita. With nearly $2 billion spent on the environment by all federal departments, Canada should do better in this regard.
In the review of the Act which the committee is about to undertake, we absolutely must consider the many international conventions signed by Canada. A reform is already required to avoid overlapping among the various agencies of the Department of the Environment. These overlaps often cost taxpayers too much.
To conclude, as I said before, this review must absolutely not overlook the concept of sustainable development adopted by Canada since the Canadian Environmental Protection Act took effect. This law is the key to environmental protection and it is essential that it achieve the objectives set by Quebecers and Canadians.