Mr. Speaker, I would like to revisit a subject I have raised many times in the House over the past two years. Ever since the famous red dust episode at the Port of Québec in October 2012, nothing has been done. I have received at best cursory answers from the government, first from the transport minister at the time, who is now the Minister of Infrastructure, but those answers were not enough for Canadians.
Last fall, Véronique Lalande, the leader of the citizen movement denouncing the pollution problems caused by dust from the Port of Québec, appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance to describe how serious the consequences have been for the community.
Another very troubling aspect of this matter is the government's attitude, as well as Transport Canada's vagueness about its involvement. Government officials do not even seem to know whether they bear some responsibility for this matter or whether Transport Canada has nothing to do with it and the Quebec Port Authority must bear full responsibility.
To illustrate this vagueness, I will quote the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport on December 5, 2014:
I understand that the Quebec Port Authority has been working with tenants to reduce those dust emissions.
This response from just a few weeks ago is far from satisfactory two years after this affair began, when there is ample evidence of the extent of the contamination from the nickel dust and the dust from the Port of Québec. I want to remind hon. members that the government admitted that Quebec Stevedoring was responsible for the high level of contamination from the nickel dust that falls on Limoilou and Quebec City's lower town in general.
Just today, I received certain documents following an access to information request. I have not had the chance to go over them, but other documents were provided to me after more than a year and a half of waiting. They show that, in the three months following the red dust incident, Transport Canada consistently followed the lead of the Port of Québec. In fact, Transport Canada officials seemed to be overwhelmed by the events and did not seem to have any guidance or instruction on to how to deal with the situation. Everything was based on what the CEO of the Port of Québec reported and what the Port of Québec was willing to provide to Transport Canada; Transport Canada did nothing to get to the bottom of the problem and actually become involved in the case.
I have often questioned the Conservative government about its failure to act in this case. Such inaction has tremendous and direct consequences for public health and quality of life. This causes concern.
I want to know what it is going to take for the government to be a real player alongside the Port of Québec and Quebec Stevedoring in coming up with a solution to this problem.