Mr. Speaker, in 1993, through the International Joint Commission, Canada committed itself to reducing chlorination byproducts from entering the Great Lakes watershed.
In May 1994, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued a report on the dangers of using chlorine for drinking water treatment in small communities.
In October 1994, the federal government developed the chlorinated substances action plan to prune the chlorine tree.
Despite this evidence to the contrary and the fact that environmentally friendly alternatives exist, the federal government, in partnership with the Liberal Party of Ontario, is forcing the spending of millions of dollars on water treatment systems rural people cannot afford. It is doing so without regard for the environment or for people's health.
Clean, safe drinking water is the right of all Canadians. Let us forget the smokescreen of Kyoto. It is time for the government to get serious about people's health and the environment.