Mr. Speaker, I share the hon. member's deep concern about dioxins and furans. They are a proven and very important source of cancer. The sources of dioxins and furans are several: municipal incinerators, waste incinerators, effluence from steel mills and pulp mills.
The big problem is that under our main legislation dealing with toxic substances, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, we have dealt with dioxins and furans with regard to plant effluence; however, we have not dealt with air emissions with regard to dioxins and furans.
The Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development is now reviewing the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. It is my fervent hope that under the leadership of the chairman of the committee we will recommend to the government air emissions be included within the CEPA as soon as possible.
With respect to the air quality accord with the United States, the accord effectively provides for a mutual commitment between the two countries to monitor and control air flows with regard to air pollution. I commit myself to raising this matter as soon as possible with the Minister of the Environment to see what can be done under the air quality accord with the United States.