Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, I appreciate the opportunity to rise in this House to say a few words on the important debate about the status of Sable Island.
Like the member opposite, I fully appreciate the importance of this extremely unique island. Sable Island is home to a number of migratory birds, seals, and of course, the most famous of the island's fauna, the wild horses. Many birds, including some species at risk birds, use the island as a breeding ground and several other animals that call the island home are protected under the Species at Risk Act.
One other item that this island is home to and which is of interest to all Canadians is Captain Cook's long-lost treasure.
The island is important for other reasons too. Environment Canada has a weather station on the island and monitors pollution. Fisheries scientists regularly conduct research into the island's grey seal population. For the Province of Nova Scotia, the island is of key historical and environmental interest, and Canada's oil and gas industry has taken a very keen interest in the fuel reserves off the island's coast.
Clearly, managing all this activity while ensuring the protection of the island's fragile environment and the many species that call this island home is a very complex task. That is why in recent years the Government of Canada has taken a partnership approach in managing this island. Since 2000, the Sable Island Preservation Trust has managed the island under a joint agreement with Environment Canada and DFO. With support from the private sector and the provincial government, they have come together to chart a course for the future.
The Government of Canada announced the creation of a senior level committee to establish an approach for the management of Sable Island going into the future. The committee met in November to discuss the options available to it. Its recommendations have been made to both the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
While no decision has been made yet with respect to a long term solution for the administration of Sable Island, the hon. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has stated on many occasions his commitment to the protection of this unique environment and the many species that call the island home. He is also committed to ensuring that the concerns of all stakeholders are considered as we move forward on this issue.
It is for this reason that the minister recently joined the Minister of the Environment to announce the Government of Canada's plans to continue--and I repeat it here for the benefit of the hon. member--a year-round human presence on Sable Island and to directly manage the island's weather station. This will allow the Sable Island Preservation Trust to focus its energies on the vital tasks of public education, research and conservation until the question of a long term approach is settled once and for all.