Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to statements made by some of my distinguished colleagues to the effect that Bill C-48 infringes on provincial jurisdiction, in Quebec and the other provinces, over the seabed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
With respect to marine areas surrounding Quebec, there is one area where the seabed clearly falls under provincial jurisdiction and that is the St. Lawrence estuary. A special agreement and matching legislation have been developed for the Saguenay—St. Lawrence marine park, which encompasses this area. I dare say this was a fine example of co-operation, both within this House and between our respective governments.
In the other marine areas surrounding Quebec, jurisdiction over the seabed is either clearly federal or disputed by the two levels of government, that is the Canadian government and the Province of Quebec.
In Bill C-48, we are proposing the establishment of marine conservation areas where the federal government has jurisdiction over the seabed, based on current possession or a federal-provincial agreement.
Jurisdiction over the seabed in a specific area may be disputed. But that is a different mater entirely. The purpose of this bill is not to resolve such disputes.
We have no intention of acting unilaterally in an area under dispute. This must be clearly understood. Saying otherwise would be misleading the House.
Ideally, any dispute concerning jurisdiction over the seabed should be resolved before a marine conservation area is established. We would have consultations to find a mutually acceptable solution. In some cases, it is possible that the marine region may be represented by another area where jurisdiction over the marine floor is not at issue.
Again, contrary to what was repeatedly claimed in this House by Bloc Quebecois members, we have absolutely no intention of acting unilaterally in a region where the marine floor is at issue. Let us be clear on this.
We are already using the model proposed in the bill. Following the federal-provincial memorandum of understanding signed in March 1997 with the Government of Ontario, we are now jointly looking at the possibility of establishing a marine conservation area in the western part of Lake Superior.
We are also working with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador on a feasibility study for a marine conservation area in the Bonavista and Notre Dame Bay areas. That study was initiated following the signing of a federal-provincial memorandum of understanding, in February 1997. Moreover, the MOU on the Pacific marine heritage legacy signed with British Columbia in 1995 provides that the two levels of government must undertake a joint feasibility study for a marine conservation area in the southern part of the Strait of Georgia.
Following these studies, if the governments come to the conclusion that a marine conservation area can be established, the next step will be the negotiation of an agreement between the Canadian government and the province concerned. Such an agreement would include the terms and conditions under which the marine conservation area would be established, including provisions on the transfer to the Canadian government of all submerged provincial lands, if necessary.
Such federal-provincial agreements are already in place for the creation of marine conservation areas in Fathom Five, Georgian Bay, Ontario and in Gwaii Haanas, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia.
This shows that a good number of provinces are collaborating in a concept of marine conservation areas that is compatible with the provisions in this bill.
The model underlying Bill C-48, that is ownership of the land by the Government of Canada, is clearly necessary when the Government of Canada already owns the land. That is the intent of the bill.
Our experience with the agreements and feasibility studies on marine conservation areas already described shows that the model proposed in this bill is entirely reasonable and pertinent, whether those holding the contrary view like it or not.
On this note, I move:
That the question be now put.