Mr. Speaker, it is always a great honour to rise, but particularly now because I believe I am the last speaker this evening. I am happy to bring it home tonight. It is an honour and privilege.
I do have a very serious topic to raise, and I am hoping I can have a serious discussion with my colleague on the other side. This serious issue is one that has been brought forward by several first nations. The way the story unfolds is sad if not tragic. It revolves around a dock called euphemistically the “big dock”, in northern Alberta. It is in a northern community, surrounded by first nations including the Chipewyan people.
The dock is a community hub. It is where people go for a walk on a nice summer day in northern Alberta. It is where children, including of course indigenous children, swim and play. It is where a young couple might go for a walk to talk about the day and to enjoy each other's company.
In this picturesque surrounding there is trouble, though, and here is the challenge. Recently, just this year actually, the indigenous communities contracted an environmental firm to look at the water in and around the dock to see what the condition of it was. What it found was extremely troubling: The water was contaminated with above-legal limits of toxins, including arsenic, mercury, iron and hydrocarbons. Many of these are carcinogens that can and do cause cancer in people. Keep in mind that young couples, fishers and indigenous children swim in this contaminated water.
Of course, that in itself is extremely troubling, but let us add a couple more facts. The dock is owned by the federal government, by Transport Canada. The really difficult and challenging part is that, according to the consultant's report, Transport Canada knew about the contamination in 2017.
I do not think it is for me to speak for first nations, so I am just going to reiterate to the member what is being asked. Remember, the member is answering not just to me; he is answering also to first nations and indigenous people, so I am hoping the member will not take take this as an opportunity to pontificate about various Liberal accomplishments or other things and that he will answer the requests of the chiefs.
First, they want to meet with the Minister of Transport. Second, they want the dock repaired and brought up to code. They of course want the site remediated, meaning the removal of the toxins. They want to dredge a canal to the channel to Lake Athabasca for boat access. They want a temporary dock, further testing to be conducted along the waterfront and for any and all documents to be made available.
I will add that I did ask at the transport committee, and received unanimous consent, to get all documents and correspondence relating to the big dock from Transport Canada, but we still, nearly a month later, have not received a single document. As the Prime Minister said, and quite frankly I agree with him, there is no relationship more important for the federal government than that with the first nations, so I am hoping we get a substantive response.