Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure I note that the Antarctic Environmental Protection Act received royal assent on October 20. This new act requires the Government of Canada to oversee Canadian activities in the Antarctic to ensure there is no pollution or harmful interference with wildlife in that region.
The Antarctic Environmental Protection Act gives us the legislative basis needed for Canada to ratify the protocol on environmental protection to the Antarctic treaty, commonly called the Madrid protocol.
I look forward to the coming into force of this act which will provide Canada with the tools we need to do our part in global efforts to protect the vulnerable Antarctic ecosystem.