Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from the citizens of Peterborough and elsewhere in Ontario concerned about the massive spill of cyanide in the Essequibo River in Guyana, South America. They point out that the spill was the direct responsibility of a Montreal based Canadian gold mining firm called Canbior. They also point out that the safety, livelihood and well-being of some 18,000 Guyanese citizens are affected.
Therefore the petitioners call on Parliament to direct an independent inquiry into the incident in order that the Canadian residents and citizens who have a humanitarian and an environmental responsibility in this matter are informed of the steps being taken to arrange for the adequate compensation of people affected and have steps taken to ensure that necessary measures are being taken to correct this environmental disaster.
I have a second petition on the same topic, in which the signers point out that the river in question is the largest in Guyana; that it passes through the rice producing belt of Guyana, rice constituting one of the country's main exports; and that this is one of the worst environmental disasters since the incident in Bhopal.
Therefore the petitioners call on Parliament to intervene on behalf of the Guyanese people affected by sending a trained team of environmentalists to determine the nature and extent of the danger to residents and the environment, and to aid the Guyanese government.