Mr. Speaker, we all remember the consultations held by the Bureau des audiences publiques sur l'environnement or BAPE. Paul Begin had then invited all Quebecers to put in their two cents worth on water.
I would like to quote a comment made during the hearings:
As to the quality of the water in Quebec, it is “generally good”; it is in the southwest, in the farmlands of the St. Lawrence Lowlands that the quality is at its lowest level. The St. Lawrence River, which supplies water 45% of the Quebec population, is still suffering contaminated, particularly downstream from Montreal.
As to water quality, which is an important issue, and I am still quoting:
From 1989 to 1995, more than 800 people were affected by 24 epidemics related to the drinking of surface water. These figures could represent a mere fraction of the actual numbers, because several cases were never reported.
With regard to the Lower St. Lawrence and water quality, can the member, who comes from a remote area, tell the House if it is possible that nobody has been affected by water problems in Quebec in the last few years?