The parliamentary secretary asks a very good question. How many constituents are there on Sable Island? That gets to the heart of the matter that I want to address in my brief comments.
At any one time there are rarely more than four persons resident on Sable Island. The human presence on Sable Island has been critically important. There has been a very important human presence on the island, literally for over a century. It is important in terms of quality. It is important in terms of the vast array of responsibilities that are discharged and projects that are managed by the tiny staff at the Sable Island operations. However, numerically we are talking about a very small number of people.
What that belies and does not adequately convey is the tremendous value that human presence on Sable Island has and the value of the wide range of scientific research projects and environmental research activity that goes on there. A synergy exists between and among the many different projects that are involved, which pulls together government departments, academicians, scientists, in some cases corporate partners, and the actual activity that goes on in the island itself.
This is an ecological gem and there is extremely important research taking place on everything from climate change to the transmission of pollutants, to very important ecological research around some rare species, plant and animal, birds and others. Of course it is best known for its horses, but there is a variety of rare species on this island. It is an ecological gem. It is an important scientific base of activity that is forward looking. However, it has essentially been orphaned by the government.
The question that arises in stipulating that Sable Island now will fall into the mandate of the transport department, respecting administration and control of Sable Island, is a very good thing, if it means the government will finally step forward and provide not just the kind of stable, ongoing funding for the operation for Sable Island--