Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to present a petition about an issue my constituents are concerned about, but the issue is actually on the other side of the country and relates to a proposed project that will affect the Tantramar marsh that is on the Chignecto Isthmus. For those who are not familiar with the Chignecto Isthmus, it is the very low-lying land mass that connects the rest of Nova Scotia to the mainland of Canada. It is under extreme threat from climate change.
Since the 1980s, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified that this area was particularly vulnerable to sea level rise. In other words, we could lose Nova Scotia's connection by land to the rest of Canada, which would have a multi-billion-dollar impact for sure.
The petitioners note that there is currently a project that is moving toward federal approval for the Centre Village, New Brunswick, gas plant under the company's name, Proenergy, the RIGS project. Given the significance of this area, in terms of both its biodiversity and its critical importance to Nova Scotia and all of Canada, the petitioners are calling for a full independent environmental and climate impact assessment under the Impact Assessment Act, and for the designation of the Chignecto Isthmus, including the Tantramar marsh, as a federally protected area. They are also looking for enforcement of all the laws that protect the biodiversity and the ecosystems of this area.
Members will remember Bill Casey, who used to be the member of Parliament for that area. He raised this issue frequently as well.