Madam Speaker, we are now at third reading of Bill C-94, an act to regulate interprovincial trade in and the importation for commercial purposes of certain manganese-based substances.
This bill is more directly aimed at prohibiting the commercial use of MMT in Canada. MMT is added to gasoline to raise its octane level, and, consequently, to improve engine performance. The Minister of the Environment reached this decision on April 5, and today we are being asked to vote on the decision to ban the use of MMT in Canada.
But the minister has not been very convincing in this matter. Indeed, there are many questions on this bill, which remain unanswered, and the minister totally refuses to look at them. She is dismissing all other analyses, studies and solutions put forward. It cannot be said that open-mindedness and a sense of conciliation are the strongest qualities of the Minister of the Environment, who is also Deputy Prime Minister.
In this case, as in many others, the minister has decided and stands firm, in spite of the strong opposition of the petroleum industry and Ethyl, the company producing MMT. The minister is closing her eyes and seems to be simply responding to the carmakers' lobby which, strange coincidence, is concentrated in her part of the country.
I am not saying that the automotive industry does not have valid reasons or arguments for not wanting MMT in its vehicles. I am simply saying that the minister is leaning to one side and that she does not listen to the arguments of the other side. But this attitude on the part of the Minister of the Environment is not new. In many other instances, she has acted the same way.
There is, among others, the ongoing and very disturbing case of the Irving Whale . Once more, the minister, through her lack of openness which, in my opinion, looks more and more like a lack of competence, is creating very serious problems that threaten the environment. The issue of the Irving Whale , a total fiasco, is a case in point.
By refusing to take into account studies made by Marex and CEF, the minister has embarked on an adventure which is dangerous for the environment of the gulf and which has already cost $12 million. This amount represents the total cost initially forecasted and the barge still lies on the bottom of the gulf.
It must be pointed out that the method chosen is not the safest one. The operations we saw this summer proved it and smacked of amateurism. I would also underline that the barge is still leaking, now more than ever. According to a report of the Canadian Coast Guard, more than 500 litrres have recently leaked from the wreck.