Mr. Speaker, my question this evening follows my question on November 30 to the government asking it to commit to fighting the infestation of mountain pine beetle that is devastating the pine forests in central British Columbia.
This threat is of deep concern to all citizens of northern and central British Columbia and, as a result, representations on this have been made by the members for Prince George--Peace River and Prince George--Bulkley Valley as well as myself.
This infestation may be the largest epidemic of its kind in Canadian history. The pine beetle has infested 5.7 million hectares of working forest, which is about twice the size of Vancouver Island. The pine beetle and U.S. softwood lumber duties are threatening to kill thousands of jobs and entire communities in B.C.'s interior. The government's lack of response to the provincial plan to eradicate the beetles indicates once again that the Liberals do not care about British Columbia. This is not an Ontario ice storm and it is not a Quebec flood, but the government will care when billions of dollars of tax revenue from B.C. stop flowing to Ottawa.
The British Columbia government needs about $60 million a year over 10 years to fight this enormous problem of the pine beetle. Everyone in British Columbia is waiting with great impatience for the reply from the foot dragging Liberal Minister of Natural Resources and the senior Liberal cabinet minister for B.C., who have been thoroughly briefed on this issue.
In his initial response to me on November 30, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources tried to have us believe that the only responsibility of the Government of Canada in fighting the mountain pine beetle infestation is to deliver the science. However, the government has a clear responsibility for infested federal lands, like the Riske Creek military reserve. From this federal land those beetles are spilling out into provincial forests and nothing is being done to control them.
Does the government recognize its obligation to fight the infestation on its own lands? I hope the response from the government this evening addresses that responsibility.
I noted in the auditor general's report that the Department of National Defence contributed $2 million to an urban park. Why is there no money to be put into this military reserve where the federal government has a clear responsibility to an urgent need?
The government's response to other questions concerning the issue is “Oh, well, we're working with the province”. That is an obfuscation and an attempt to sidestep the matter.
The B.C. government has a plan to fight the beetle infestation. It needs a commitment from this government, but there was nothing about it in last night's budget. The $60 million of new money budgeted to the CBC would be all that is needed this year from the federal government to assist B.C.
Worst of all, the most recent reply from the government of which I am aware is the reply to the hon. member for Prince George--Peace River who wrote to the Minister of Natural Resources on November 6. He received a response that again did not answer this question: What resources will the government commit to eradicate the pine beetle epidemic in B.C.'s pine forests? We are talking also about federal crown lands. The government is not even prepared to deal with the problem on the land it controls.
Long ago, ministers of the crown in British Columbia approached me to help get the government's attention on the issue. This is not a new problem. As I said earlier, years ago I pressed the government to deal with the fir bark beetle also spilling out of that same Riske Creek military reserve west of Williams Lake. Nothing, but nothing, was done then either.You should see the devastation there now, Mr. Speaker.
There are forests in British Columbia for which the government has a constitutional responsibility. These forests are being faced with a devastating infestation that is increasing the amount of damaged wood, lost income and cleanup costs for the province.
What is the commitment of the government to British Columbia to fight the mountain pine beetle infestation, first on its own federal lands and then in assisting the province of B.C. with this present economic and environmental crisis?