Mr. Speaker, I always find it sadly shocking when a Liberal member brings up issues on the environment, which highlights what has happened because of 13 years of inaction from a former Liberal government. In the four short years that we have been the government, there have been dramatic successes in cleaning up those messes left by the previous Liberal government.
Environment Canada is an active participant in monitoring the development and growth of the oil sands through environmental assessments, multi-stakeholder environmental management committees, science and technology research, and the enforcement of regulations.
Dr. Schindler's study suggests that emissions from the oil sands industry are higher and cover a wider area than previously thought. However, the study does not assess the ecological impact of the suggested higher levels of emissions. Environment Canada scientists are currently assessing fish health in the Athabaska and its tributaries to determine the ecological impact, if any, of these emissions.
The government is working with all the stakeholders on a national approach that will reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The government will assess current air and water monitoring programs in the Fort McMurray and Fort Chipewyan areas and will evaluate whether supplementary information needs to be collected. The study's authors claim that the results show that better monitoring is needed and that more remedial measures need to be taken to ensure the health of those living along the Athabaska and its tributaries.
Environment Canada works closely with the Alberta government under the Canada-Alberta Administrative Agreement for the Control of Deposits of Deleterious Substances under the Fisheries Act. The Alberta government issues permits that prohibit the release of tailings to surface waters. Under the Canada-Alberta agreement, the province has a commitment to alert Environment Canada if monitoring indicates leaching into the waters frequented by fish.
Environment Canada has a research initiative to focus on the fate and remediation of natural ecosystems. The purpose is to understand the effluents from the oil sands industry, their fate, and the effects on the natural ecosystems and to establish baseline data for the health of the Athabaska River system so that we can gain insights into the possible ecological effects of the oil sands activities.
With regard to the enforcement of the regulations, Environment Canada is committed to working with the province of Alberta and all stakeholders to ensure that oil sands development respects the environment. Environment Canada works to ensure that any existing new or expanded facility meets the requirements and regulations of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, the Species at Risk Act, the Fisheries Act, water pollution prevention provisions, and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
Since 2002, enforcement officers have conducted 26 inspections and two investigations under subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act related to the release of deleterious substances into freshwater frequented by fish.
We take our enforcement role very seriously, and action is taken if violations are found.