Mr. Speaker, the Great Lakes are a precious resource. Only 1% of the water of the Great Lakes is renewed each year.
We have seen recently how easily water levels in the lakes can be unbalanced by man and nature.
Currently, eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces are reviewing the terms of the implementing agreement for the Great Lakes Annex 2001. There are significant fears that this agreement could open the door to large scale water diversions from the Great Lakes and permit this precious resource to be classified as a commodity under NAFTA.
The issue is of serious concern to the residents of Leeds and Grenville, some of whom are visiting Ottawa today, and especially to those along the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand Islands.
The federal government must get involved to stop the harm this will cause to the Great Lakes basin.