Mr. Speaker, a report commissioned by Environment Canada reveals that up to 100,000 seabirds are killed every year in the oily waters off the coast of Newfoundland. I am certain that Canadians are as angry as I am that these waters are being used as a dumping ground for oily wastes by ships headed to the U.S.
Due to totally inadequate environmental surveillance and ridiculously low fines for polluters, these ships pump their bilge with impunity before they reach U.S. territory. A conviction for fouling European or American waters can cost shipping companies up to $1 million. In Canada the average penalty for the few ships apprehended has been a puny $7,000.
When will this country get into active pollution regulation enforcement and commit the funds to make our enforcers a real threat to these environmental criminals? They cannot get away with causing the slow death of seabirds in Europe or the U.S., but they do it in our waters where the fines are merely a cost of doing business. I ask members—