Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a strong commitment and a strong attachment to the environment. I was pleased only a few moments ago to entertain a question from the Reform Party on calving grounds for the Porcupine caribou herd. It is certainly an indication that environmental issues are not exclusive to party lines and every Canadian believes that our environment is a part of our heritage and a part of who we are.
Since becoming environment minister I have met some incredible people from across the country, people who spend most of their waking hours working on environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and reducing toxins.
Yesterday evening, I was in Montreal to attend the Second International Hydrogen Summit, where I met people who really take seriously the technological opportunities which will be the major challenges of the 21st century.
I have also seen communities like my own that have fought back against environmental degradation to achieve great things. There are communities that have restored waterways, reduced waste, protected wildlife habitat, created jobs and at the same time have sparked innovative, fledgling incubator industries, communities like my own hometown of Hamilton.
In Hamilton people from all walks of life came together to transform our community from a city that was polluted and full of economic, environmental problems to a community that is cleaner and full of environmental and economic promise. The efforts of Hamiltonians have even been recognized by the United Nations. Hamilton was named Canada's only model sustainable city.
Hamilton was a city which only a few short years ago at the wake of tremendous transition in the steel industry had an unemployment rate of around 16 per cent. Today Hamilton has the lowest unemployment rate in the country and the fastest growing industries are the environmental industries.
Based on what I have seen in my home town and elsewhere, I know that the real power to make changes does not rest with politicians but, rather, with Canadians and their communities.
It goes without saying that governments and businesses have an important role to play to better protect the environment. However, without a degree of awareness and understanding, and without some initiatives by the various regions of the country, we will never reach our goal of ensuring sustainable development.
This is why I am pleased to announce a new program called Action 21. We are keeping the red book promise where we said we would give Canadians the necessary tools to protect the environment in their daily lives.
Action 21 will help regional groups carry out their environmental projects. We will match any community financing initiative by giving an amount equal to the community's participation for all admissible projects pertaining to the improvement, the depollution or the protection of the environment.
Action 21 will have to emphasize the measurable advantages of any initiative and favour activities dealing with air pollution, climate changes, biodiversity, toxic substances, and the preservation of ecosystems.
Action 21 includes a public awareness program which will encourage Canadians to make the environmentally friendly choices. We must all learn to care about the environment in our daily lives because we are all responsible for creating a healthy environment in our community.
Action 21 will help only non-governmental and nonprofit organizations. We want to support service clubs, senior citizens associations, youth groups and environment protection groups.
We want to support car pooling and transit initiatives because we think it is critical to reduce vehicle emissions and the effects of climate change. We want to support initiatives which reduce the use of pesticides in fertilizers in non-farm settings because it is important to improve the health of Canadians.
My hope is that we can particularly give a boost to young Canadians in their efforts to improve the environment in their own communities. They will have to do the work. We will match them
dollar for dollar, but they will have to raise half of the money. I know they will do that because it is obvious that young Canadians understand that the environment is the key to our future.
We have a lot to do. A recent study by Dr. Sverre Vedal of the University of British Columbia estimates that in that province alone 82 Canadians die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution in the form of inhalable particles. The Government of Canada has the responsibility to take whatever action is necessary to prevent those premature deaths.
Through action 21 we are empowering Canadians to join us in that battle. We are giving Canadians the means to make their own decisions, to build on community based environmental protection and to make sure that Canadians are not only part of the problem, but that every single Canadian is part of the solution.
Action 21 will have an annual budget of $10 million. I will repeat it for the benefit of the taxpayers of Canada: Every dollar we give to any project must be matched by a dollar raised in the community.
Canadians want to find a role in being a part of the solution to the environmental challenges of the 20th century. With action 21 we will be able to achieve that into the 21st century. I know there is not a member of Parliament in the House, whatever his or her political stripe, who does not understand that the future of our children depends not only on the role of government, not only on the important role of business to clean up its own act, but also on the chance for Canadians to change the way we live and to build sustainable development as a cornerstone in all of the actions in every day of our lives.
Action 21 is a small step to get Canadians involved in choosing the right solutions for a better environment into the 21st century. Action 21 will provide them with a small vehicle to get government help to achieve that.
