Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows:
a), b), c), d), e), f), and k) There is no mountain pine beetle, MPB, in Northern Ontario. Canada's government is aggressively acting to stop the spread of the MPB, and mitigate its economic impacts. All resources requested by the British Columbia forest Service have been fully met by the federal government to combat the spread of the Beetle.
Direct control measures are currently being strategically focused along the north-eastern front of the beetle epidemic in B.C., in portions of the major mountain passes between B.C. and Alberta, and in other areas of Alberta where appropriate.
When the MPB population build-up was identified in B.C.'s Tweedsmuir Provincial Park and adjacent pine forest areas in the mid-1990s, the then provincial and federal governments did not take the necessary aggressive action that was needed to combat the threat. Our government is committed to taking all necessary steps to combat the MPB and its spread.
g) and h) The government of B.C. and Alberta and the federal government are engaged in coordinated activities to limit the spread of the MPB at the Alberta-B.C. border. Based on the experience in B.C., an aggressive approach is being taken to reduce the spread of the beetle into Alberta.
Saskatchewan and Alberta have imposed a ban on the transport and storage of pine forest products with bark attached from outside jurisdictions, to reduce the risk of human-assisted transport of the beetle into these provinces.
The federal government, in collaboration with provinces and territories, has developed a national approach to dealing with the MPB and other insects and diseases.
Budget 2006 provided $400 million over two years to combat the MPB infestation, strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the forestry sector, and support worker adjustment. Of that amount, $200 million was identified to combat the infestation.
In January 2007 the Minister of Natural Resources announced a $200 million federal MPB program. Two subsequent announcements on how specific portions of that $200 million will be spent are worth noting. On March 23, 2007, the minister announced that, under the program, $24.8 million was being invested in 2006-2007 to help control the spread of the insect along B.C.'s eastern border and to protect communities and forest resources. On June 8, 2007, the minister announced that the federal government is investing $39.6 million in 2007-2008 under the next phase of the program for ongoing work with the provinces and communities.
The provinces of B.C. and Alberta have also committed and disbursed funds in response to the outbreak that are not included above.
l) and j) There has been no spending in Northern Ontario on the MPB.
