Madam Speaker, any fair reading of the motion will realize that it provides plenty of latitude for the kinds of legitimate questions with regard to federal jurisdiction raised by the hon. member. I come from the tradition on the environmental issue of the acid rain treaty. I knew when we were going to the United States to get agreement on the acid rain treaty that we had to have clean hands at home.
There is no doubt that the federal jurisdiction we are talking about is of two kinds. One is a specific jurisdiction under the criminal law power. That is a narrow jurisdiction, but it is there and it is well established. I know the hon. member, as someone who studies these things, recognizes that that jurisdiction is soundly founded and must be protected in the national interest.
The other responsibility is for federal leadership. This is the parliament of the national government. This is the parliament that is able to persuade legislatures everywhere else in the country to assume their responsibility. Can we do that more effectively if our hands are clean and if the conditions are better on reserves and in federal lands? Of course we can. If there is going to be a serious attempt by the national government to try to encourage that kind of action on all fronts, in all the places where jurisdiction or responsibility lies, then obviously we have to exert that kind of leadership.
I welcome the hon. member's interest in these specific issues. I hope he will not confine that interest to those Canadians who live on reserves or those Canadians who live in Valcartier. I hope he will share an equal concern about Canadians across the country who today are more at risk than they have been before because the communities are growing and pressures are growing.
Not just me, but Canadians in general, the people who would have preferred not to be ill or who would have preferred not to have seen fatalities in Walkerton or in North Battleford, need stronger standards.
They count on the hon. member. They count on all of us. This motion provides an opportunity for the federal government, acting within its jurisdiction, to provide the leadership that may change and improve the standard of health and cleanliness of Canadian water.