Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-403, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (lead sinkers and lead jigs).
I must remind this House that Bill C-32 on environmental protection is at report stage. The process at committee stage was quite long and hard in order to not add further amendments to the bill.
The Bloc Quebecois voted against Bill C-32, which contains many gaps in the recognition of provincial jurisdiction, in the poor translation of the bill's clauses from English into French and by the lack of consistency in the amendments brought in committee.
To get back to Bill C-403, I think the intent of the member for Simcoe—Grey is legitimate and laudable, because one of the main problems involving lead sinkers and jigs is the poisoning of the loons, black ducks, brent geese, snow geese and other waterfowl that swallow them.
Most of the lead sinkers and jigs will end up one day or another in the fishing areas, along shore lines, rocky areas and docks on lakes, ponds or streams. These fishing areas are often used for reproduction and feeding by the waterfowl.
An estimated 500 tonnes of this fishing tackle accumulates annually in Canadian waters. According to various studies, between 17% and 56% of loons die from the effects of lead fishing tackle.
Lead sinkers and jigs are often lost when fishing lines become tangled and break. These objects sink and when birds swallow them they often become very sick and sometimes die. Swallowing just one of these objects is enough to kill an aquatic bird.
The problem is as follows. When a bird ingests lead sinkers and jigs, they can remain stuck in its gizzard, a muscular stomach which enables it to break down food. In doing so, the gizzard also breaks down fishing tackle, decomposing it into tiny particles. The acid present in the gizzard dissolves these particles and the lead then passes into the bird's bloodstream. The dissolved lead is then carried throughout the organism and ends up in bones and vital organs.
When it decomposes in the environment, lead can contaminate soil and water. For example, on certain skeet shooting ranges, the soil contains enough lead to be considered dangerous waste. Decades may pass before the lead shot and weights decompose in the environment.
A speedy remedy is therefore necessary against this practice that is harmful to aquatic fauna.
Is it helpful to recall that approximately 50 to 60 million birds are potential targets for this kind of contamination? Lead sinkers and jigs are used exclusively by anglers. These are the users that must be targeted if this hazard is to be eliminated. A well-orchestrated public awareness campaign could be effective in resolving part of the problem.
Possible solutions could include persuading fishers to switch to other materials, such as tin, bismuth, steel, or a special mastic. These materials are not toxic to birds. In addition, lead poisoning of loons and other aquatic fowl must be reduced by cutting back on the volume of lead tackle sold and used. One solution would be to introduce regulations that would simultaneously increase the availability, sale and use of non-toxic substitutes.
Provincial, territorial or federal legislation is becoming essential in order to gradually eliminate small lead sinkers and jigs of 500 grams or less for sports fishing.
The introduction of public education programs could be considered to publicize non-toxic substitutes and suggest methods of recovering, eliminating or recycling lead products.
It is true that the substitutes now available cost more, but they would increase total average annual fishing costs by 1% to 2% at most.
Very tough and effective regulations are needed to eliminate this problem of lead contaminating our waterways. Since 1997, federal regulations have been in force in national reserves and parks. If these regulations are to be extended to other sectors, provincial governments have a responsibility to try to limit the presence of lead in waterways.
The federal government must respect provincial jurisdictions so as not to again interfere in matters that do not concern it. We are obviously not questioning the legitimacy of the bill introduced by the member for Simcoe—Grey, but we are not convinced that including it in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act is the best approach.
We in the Bloc Quebecois think that there are various solutions to this threat to fauna that has gone on for too long.