Catherine Bell

[Petitions, June 19th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present three petitions today from members of my constituency and from across Vancouver Island.

The petitioners who signed the first petition want Canada to reform its electoral system. They are tired of the first past the post system that has been around for over 100 years, since before women were considered persons under the law and before aboriginal people and non-property owners were entitled to vote.

The petitioners want the government to have the broad consultation across the country that we have not had. They call on the Government of Canada to follow up on the report that recommended real cross-country consultations on electoral reform.

[Canada Shipping Act, 2001, June 18th, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-571, An Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (prohibition against oil tankers in Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound).

Mr. Speaker, people on the north coast of British Columbia have recognized that Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and the Queen Charlotte Sound is a very narrow channel. There are very dangerous currents in that area and it is also a very culturally significant area abundant with fish and shellfish, for now, and we do not want to see that habitat destroyed by any kind of an oil spill if that were to happen.

There was an informal moratorium 35 years ago on banning oil tanker traffic in the inside passage known as Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound. By introducing this bill today I would hope to formalize that moratorium by continuing the ban on oil tanker traffic in this area and ensure that our bays and inlets, as well as all the sea life, the birds, the fish and the shellfish in that area are protected for generations to come.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[The Environment, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the DFO has a mandate to protect fish and their habitat, but at least 16 Canadian lakes are about to be reclassified as toxic dump sites for mining companies. From B.C. to Newfoundland, these lakes are fish-bearing waters and it is illegal to put harmful substances in them, but the government is in the process of using a loophole in the law to allow mining companies to dump their toxic sludge in them.

Why are the Conservatives choosing to help the mining industry by giving it access to cheap waste disposal methods for its toxic waste?

[Request for Emergency Debate, June 16th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, I requested an emergency debate and was denied. My hon. House leader also requested a take note debate, but the government is denying all take note debates. Therefore, because this is such an urgent issue in British Columbia, I am once again requesting an emergency debate to highlight the issue of the disappearing Pacific salmon.

Overall, abundance is down. On the Skeena River, diverse salmon stocks are in such dire straits that harvest would have to be cut by 50% just to save them. On the Fraser River, 94 first nations bands, totalling 50% of all first nations people in British Columbia, have been told to ration their catch. On the west coast of Vancouver Island, fishermen will see their harvest cut by 30% this year, and I just learned that yesterday the Fraser chinook will be closed for this summer.

Chinook in the Fraser and Thompson and coho in the Upper Fraser are low. The Cowichan River had returns in the hundreds instead of in the usual thousands, and there are many more rivers and streams that have virtually no returns.

Conservation measures are kicking in under the wild salmon policy, but they do not address why the salmon are in peril. In question period last week, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans agreed with me that this is a crisis, a serious situation, and that I was not exaggerating the significance of this issue.

I truly want to strongly emphasize the importance of this issue for the people of British Columbia, for our coastal communities, for first nations people, for all fishermen, for habitat restoration groups, but especially for the salmon.

[Petitions, June 16th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by 239 constituents from my riding of Vancouver Island North.

These constituents are concerned about Canada's electoral system and the lack of participation. They are concerned that the electoral system was created so long ago that it has the ability to omit women, aboriginals and non-property owners who are disenfranchised. They are calling on the government to consult broadly and change our electoral system.

[Canada Elections Act, June 12th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the member's speech about honouring the will of the House. He talked about when the bill was sent to the Senate, whether the members of the Senate would honour and help push it through.

Several bills have been passed by the House and have gone nowhere. The member and the Conservative Party said, during the election campaign, that they would honour the will of the House. That was very clear, yet we have several bills, for example, the veterans first motion, the seniors charter and other bills, that have been delayed. They have gone nowhere.

Would the member guarantee that the government will ensure that these motions and bills, because they were passed unanimously or by the majority of members of the House, are respected and passed also?

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 10th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives must invest more in desperately needed ocean research on issues such as predation, food sources, and other changes that are affecting salmon stocks. This research would help mould policies to counteract the destruction that is affecting the oceans, rivers, streams and estuaries.

It is time for the minister to act to ensure we do not end up in the same position as the United States or the east coast cod fishery.

When will the government show real leadership and get serious about research to ensure the sustainability of our west coast fishery?

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 10th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Pacific salmon are important to the history, economy and culture of British Columbia, especially for first nations communities. A once abundant chinook, sockeye and coho fishery has been nearly decimated. If any one salmon species is deemed endangered, the effect would be devastating for the entire west coast fishery.

Commercial fishing: gone. Sport and recreation fishing: gone. Report after report points the finger to lack of leadership from DFO on protecting fish habitat.

Why does a self-monitored industry go unchecked while habitat is irrevocably damaged?

[Request for Emergency Debate, June 9th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, I have sent you a letter advising that I would be seeking an emergency debate on the west coast Pacific salmon. The reason I am doing so is that I have tried to get a take note debate on the subject but that was not possible.

On the west coast, salmon are in trouble. If we do not act quickly, we are at risk of losing many species, especially the Chinook, Coho and Sockeye.

I am asking for this debate after speaking with many of the stakeholders who fish this once great and abundant resource. They are all saying the same thing: “Help”. They are asking for help from the government to protect fish habitat, enforce regulations, and learn about and protect the health of the ocean.

Salmon are the canary in the coal mine of our oceans. Many other species depend on them for survival, including bears and whales. For thousands of years, first nations have relied on salmon. Now they are being asked to ration their catch.

The economy of our west coast communities will also feel the pain. Given the current downturn in the forest sector, it might well be the tipping point for many of our coastal communities, which are struggling not to become ghost towns.

Just yesterday we celebrated Oceans Day, but with 70% of the world's fisheries in decline, including our salmon, it is truly an emergency and not much to celebrate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your careful consideration of this request and look forward to an opportunity to raise awareness of the declining Pacific salmon.

[Climate Change Accountability Act, May 29th, 2008]

We need green jobs. We know that.