Mr. Speaker, I appreciate being able to speak today about reducing the impact of commercial shipping on shoreline erosion. I will be splitting my time with the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.
The report sheds light on an important issue, an issue that impacts not only the environment but also the livelihoods and safety of thousands of Canadians living along the shores of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. The erosion of our shorelines due to commercial shipping is a serious concern in communities, and witnesses who appeared at committee made it clear that action is required to protect our natural ecosystems and that the people who live and work on these waterways deserve protection.
For decades, the waters of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River have played a central role in our economy, supporting commerce, transportation and industry. However, this same activity, particularly commercial shipping, is now one of the main factors driving shoreline erosion. The narrow passages of the St. Lawrence River and other parts of this corridor are particularly vulnerable to erosion caused by wakes from ships and other human activities.
I think it is important to remember that erosion is not just about losing land; it is about the loss of infrastructure, homes and livelihoods. It is about communities like Saint-Ignace-De-Loyola, where residents are witnessing their properties crumble away year by year, due to waves created by commercial vessels. The impact of the commercial shipping industry is not just an environmental issue; it is a public safety issue and it is a threat to their way of life.
The report makes one thing abundantly clear: The federal government has failed to take a leading role in addressing shoreline erosion. Many witnesses from various communities, municipalities, indigenous communities and environmental organizations pointed out that we need a coordinated multi-stakeholder approach that involves all levels of government, but the leadership must come from Ottawa.
New Democrats echo the calls in this report for a shoreline protection program. This program was cancelled in the 1990s. Liberal and Conservative governments have failed to re-establish the program, which provided critical support to shorelines along the St. Lawrence. By reintroducing this program, we can bring together provincial and municipal governments, indigenous groups, industry leaders and scientific experts to develop real, sustainable solutions to erosion.
I want to take a moment to recognize the important initiative introduced by my colleague the MP for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie. His bill granting rights to the St. Lawrence River is an important and bold step when it comes to rethinking our relationship with nature. By granting legal personhood to the river, we would acknowledge the intrinsic value of our natural ecosystems and their right to thrive. This bill is not just symbolic; it represents a fundamental shift toward environmental justice. If passed, it would give the river a voice, empowering communities and environmental advocates to take legal action on its behalf when ecosystems are threatened. The St. Lawrence is the lifeblood of our environment, our history, our communities and our future. We must recognize its right to exist, flourish and regenerate. The bill is a critical piece of the broader movement to protect the river from the very threats outlined in this report.
Despite the urgency of these issues, however, the Liberal government has dragged its feet. Year after year, we hear promises of environmental action, but its cancellation in the 1990s of the shoreline protection program, which was not reinstated under the current government or under the Harper government before it, is just one example of its failure to protect our vital ecosystems.
The Liberals have failed to act on erosion, failed to regulate commercial shipping and failed to listen to the communities that are most affected. On the west coast, I have been calling on the government to enact a mandatory 1,000-metre vessel buffer for endangered southern resident killer whales and to address the dumping of waste and effluent by commercial ships. The government continues to speak about environmental action and about climate action, while failing to implement critical protections for our waterways and shorelines.
We can no longer afford half measures, patchwork solutions or more studies with no follow-up. The time for action is now, and the federal government must be held accountable.
Many of the solutions to protect our natural environment and protect our communities are outlined in this report, and they are not in opposition to economic growth or to industry. It is about striking a balance between development and environmental sustainability. That is why the NDP will always work to ensure that workers in industries like commercial shipping are part of the solution, and why we believe that the companies themselves, the industries that benefit from the river, must contribute to preserving it through programs like the recommended fund for riparian restoration, which would be financed by commercial users of the corridor.
We know that the Conservatives are always pushing for deregulation and cuts, and they show a disregard for long-term environmental impacts and the failure to invest in future sustainability. The Conservatives claim to be in support of fiscal responsibility, but how can we be fiscally responsible if we ignore the environmental costs and the costs to communities that will continue to grow, putting communities and ecosystems at even greater risk?
To wrap up, I want to re-emphasize that we need action, not just more studies. I want to re-emphasize that this report is not just about studying the problem; it is about the action that is needed by the federal government. Now is the time to take that action. Re-establishing the shoreline protection program, passing the bill to grant rights to the St. Lawrence River, investing in research and sustainable solutions, regulating ship speeds and holding industries accountable are all necessary steps for protecting our shorelines and protecting the communities along them.
I urge the House, and in particular the government, which has the power to do this, to take the recommendations in this report seriously and act swiftly to protect our shorelines, our ecosystems and the Canadians who depend on them.