Mr. Speaker, I want to commend our government for its commitment to preserving and promoting the environmental integrity of the Great Lakes. I am from the north shore area of Lake Huron, so I appreciate how important all of the lakes are to those communities which depend on marine tourism and commercial fishing.
In the latest federal budget a new commitment of $8 million per year for three years was made to assist in the clean-up of 16 areas of concern identified by the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Further, the latest report from the International Joint Commission, entitled “Protection of the Waters of the Great Lakes”, supports the government's action contained in Bill C-15, which will prohibit the bulk removal of water from Canada's major drainage basins, especially the Great Lakes.
While Canada recognizes the need to ensure safe, clean water for all citizens of the world, simply removing water in bulk from the Great Lakes is not the answer. Simply put, the ecology of the Great Lakes Basin is too fragile.
These are firm actions by the government to protect the Great Lakes—