Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development relating to the second Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region, held on March 13 and 14, 1996 in Yellowknife, and to the third ministerial meeting on the Arctic environment protection strategy, held on March 19 and 21, 1996 in Inuvik.
The committee is recommending that the government take the necessary measures to implement the recommendations contained in the statement of the second conference of parliamentarians, that the standing committee of parliamentarians of the Arctic have a permanent and substantive role in the Arctic council, and finally that the Parliament of Canada formally recognize the standing committee of parliamentarians of the Arctic.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a response to this report.
I would like to thank officials from Environment Canada for their excellent work in co-ordinating the conference of parliamentarians.