Mr. Speaker, I thank the Reform Party. It has finally asked a question on the environment. It is the first question in a year and a half.
In particular I want to thank the auditor general for focusing on areas which are of very serious public concern. I believe, Mr. Speaker, if you speak to the auditor general he will tell you that one of the reasons he undertook this very thorough environmental analysis was at my request in anticipation of the new role of his department as commissioner for sustainable development.
I will tell the hon. member that last month I gave the order to cancel the federal PCB site program because over the last six years under the green plan millions of dollars were spent to look for places to burn PCBs and they did not find a single site. I did not think it was a good use of taxpayers money. I ordered an end to the program.
I have further ordered that we work with the Department of Public Works to have all federal PCBs burned where there is a legally sanctioned facility in the province of Alberta.