Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Winnipeg South Centre.
It is a pleasure for me to rise this evening to speak on this critical issue. I do not know if members realize how important this issue is to Manitobans. Any time we do a survey in Manitoba, we find that the health of Lake Winnipeg always ends up being number one, two or three on the list of concerns for Manitobans.
It is very important for us to be here this evening. I thank my colleague who organized this. It is imperative for us to be here to show both the government and our colleagues in the U.S. that it is an important issue and that we think pressure should be put on our neighbours to the south to change their decision.
On May 30, some two or three weeks ago, and actually two weeks prior to North Dakota opening the floodgates, I asked a question on this very issue of the Minister of the Environment. He scoffed at it and said it was a problem he inherited from the previous government.
The reality is that the previous Liberal government had an agreement with the United States to install a high quality filter at Devils Lake. The Conservative government has been in power for close to one and a half years now and had a responsibility to see that this agreement was respected. It has to take its responsibility seriously. It has to stop blaming others. It has to do the job.
The Conservatives always say that they are going to get the job done and they are getting the job done, but in this case, they have not. They have had a year and a half to speak to their neighbours and get the job done.
I believe it is important to understand the severity of what is happening as we speak. North Dakota's Devils Lake has no natural outlet and the water has risen by up to 25 feet over the years, so I think it is important for us to show some sympathy for North Dakota as well. I have been there. I was there on my motorcycle some years ago. We were on a dyke and all we saw was water where there used to be residential homes. It is an absolutely eerie feeling to be out there. There are no trees. There is nothing. We do have to sympathize with what North Dakota is going through.
Having said that, I do not think they should find a solution that is harmful to their neighbours to the north. That is what the problem is. It is unfortunate that over the years we have not been able to convince North Dakota that it possibly was harming our rivers and tributaries.
We also have to consider the fact that this is costing the U.S. a lot of money. It has been very critical for the Americans as well. They have paid approximately $350 million U.S. in flood control costs over the years, as well as $450 million U.S. in damages in the region. We can imagine that there is some pressure on them as well to react to this.
We understand that something has to be done. We understand that Canada and the U.S. have to work together to find a solution, but again, the solution in North Dakota cannot be at the expense of Canada's rivers and lakes.
The solution proposed by North Dakota was to build an outlet that would enable the water to flow from Devils Lake into the Sheyenne River, into the Red River and finally into Lake Winnipeg. However, let me explain what the reality is if we allow this to happen.
In regard to the water quality in Devils Lake, someone was asking what colour the water would be. It is a fact that the water is much worse in Devils Lake than it is in the Red River and in Lake Winnipeg. Scientists have expressed concerns about the high sulphate levels, arsenic, baron, mercury, phosphorous, and the total dissolved solids, which are the salts.
The second major concern is the potential transfer of harmful biota. I noticed that my colleague from across the way mentioned this as well. These harmful biota are comprised of different organisms and, in particular, fish diseases that may have been established in Devils Lake but not in the Red River Basin. When those diseases are transferred, the impact could be devastating, although we do not necessarily know what it could be.
A third issue is that in the 1970s the Americans stocked Devils Lake with striped bass. It is a very aggressive competitor and could cause major damage to the sport and commercial fishing stocks. Striped bass are not found in the Red River currently, so introducing this new species could be a huge issue. My understanding is that striped bass actually live 35 years, so once that species is introduced into the river it could become a huge issue for us here in Canada.
If we look at introducing new species, all we have to do is look back at the Great Lakes and the damage the zebra mussels have caused. It has cost both countries, Canada and the U.S., $3 billion in damages in the Great Lakes region alone. We all know what a devastating impact introducing new species in different waterways can have.
To add insult to injury, North Dakota is also considering a future inlet from the Missouri River into Devils Lake to control water levels in Devils Lake. Again, new species would be introduced from the Missouri to Devils Lake, to the Red River and then to Lake Winnipeg. It is totally unnatural. That is the problem right now.
All this would significantly affect the aquatic ecosystem in Manitoba. It is irresponsible for North Dakota to move forward with this and it is unconscionable that the Conservatives have allowed it to happen. It is too late now. Today in the House we heard the minister say that the government would be doing something in 24 hours. We hope something will be done, but the water is flowing as we speak, and I wish he would have said “in 24 hours” when I asked my question in the House two weeks ago. Maybe we could have prevented this from happening.
It is important as well to talk about what is at stake. My colleague spoke to this a little earlier. Lake Winnipeg is Canada's 10th largest freshwater lake and everyone appreciates the importance of protecting one of the most precious water supplies in the world.
Right now in our ridings we are all hearing about the future of water. Water will be the next big issue in the world, but we are ready to allow our 10th largest lake in the world to possibly be polluted, so there is something wrong with this picture. We have to act aggressively and we have to act now.
The Red River is used as a direct source of potable water for 40,000 residents. I do not know if people know that, because I had no idea when I did my research. There are 40,000 people drinking water from the Red River. People depend on this water to survive.
There are also 23,000 permanent residents living in 30 communities along the shore of Lake Winnipeg who depend upon the lake's fishery as a food source. Again, their livelihood depends on this ecosystem. It is critical for them. It is basic survival for these people
Included in that 23,000 are 9,000 people from first nations communities. We all know how critical fishing is to first nations. This could devastate a community that is already facing major challenges in our country.
There is also the $110 million that is spent on tourism in the region every year. That could be impacted, that is for sure.
The tributaries also could be affected. The Seine River is a jewel in the heart of Winnipeg, in the heart of my riding. Anybody who comes to my riding will see the Seine River running right through my riding. For anyone who canoes it, it feels like being in the wilderness. It is absolutely incredible. It runs right through downtown Winnipeg.
As a matter of fact, last Saturday I had the opportunity to canoe it and see my riding from a different perspective. A group called Save Our Seine was promoting a canoe trip on the Seine River. The people in that group saved the river. It was basically dead. They cleaned it up. Over the last five to 10 years, they have brought it back to life. I can tell members that right now those people probably are devastated to see this happening with Devils Lake.
The government and those Conservative members cannot say they were not aware of this or that they were not forewarned.
First of all, there was an agreement reached in 2005 after consultations between Canada and the U.S. A joint press statement issued in August 2005 announced that North Dakota would put in place a rock and gravel filter before draining the outlet to prevent the release of microscopic aquatic nuisance species, including fish, eggs and plants, from Devils Lake, and that it would also work toward setting up an advanced filter. I will quote for members what the agreement said:
The United States and Canada will cooperate on the design and construction of a more advanced filtration and/or disinfection system for the Devils Lake outlet, taking into account the results of ongoing monitoring and risk assessment....
What can we do? The hon. member for the NDP from Winnipeg was asking earlier on what we can do. Obviously at this point, once the water is turned on, it has to be gentle persuasion. We have no choice.
Furthermore, my colleague, the hon. member for Ottawa South and environment critic for the Liberal Party, regrets not being here with us tonight, but he has worked very hard on this issue for a number of years. In fact, two years ago to the day he helped broker a unanimous all party statement by the Standing Committee on the Environment to vigorously oppose the unilateral actions then being taken by North Dakota to launch the diversions from Devils Lake into the Sheyenne River. That statement pointed out the proper role of the International Joint Commission and called on the federal government to take up diplomatic and legal tools to prevent any water diversion.
The reality is that we now have water flowing from the U.S. into Manitoba that could be contaminating our rivers and lakes. I understand that just lately pictures were taken of large fish actually getting across the temporary filter, so it is not working. We have to find another solution.
In closing, I believe that all parties have to work together. The damage is done to a certain extent, but I believe we can reduce that damage. We can mitigate the damage if we work together and try to pressure our colleagues and friends to the south to change their minds on this filter.
