Christian Paradis

[Offshore Drilling, June 3rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government has been clear from the very beginning. We expect Canada's regulators to enforce this country's strong environmental standards across the board.

In the case of offshore drilling, Canada's regulators are doing the prudent thing by conducting reviews and putting special oversight measures in place following the incident in the Gulf of Mexico. For example, the NEB is carrying out a comprehensive review of its drilling requirements, which will be open to the Canadian public, and incorporate information from other regulators, as well as the ongoing U.S. investigation.

[Offshore Drilling, June 3rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, while he was in government in British Columbia, this NDP member did not introduce such a bill. I repeat, there is a moratorium with respect to oil and gas exploration in the British Columbia offshore. There is no plan to change this. The government has no plans to reopen the voluntary tanker traffic exclusion zone either.

[Offshore Drilling, June 3rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I just said there is a moratorium with respect to oil and gas exploration in the British Columbia offshore and there is no plan to change this.

The government has no plans to reopen the voluntary tanker traffic exclusion zone.

The Minister of the Environment has referred the northern gateway pipeline project to a joint review panel. A decision on the proposed project will not be made until the joint review panel completes its review.

[Offshore Drilling, June 3rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, there is a moratorium with respect to oil and gas exploration in the British Columbia offshore and there is no plan to change this.

The government has no plans to reopen the voluntary tanker traffic exclusion zone either.

[Medical Isotopes, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the priority of this government and of AECL is to get the NRU reactor up and running again as soon as possible. That being said, alternative solutions are being considered. Yesterday, we announced some good news: $35 million for research. We will be asking for submissions from businesses and agencies that are working on alternative solutions for isotope production based on cyclotrons or linear accelerators.

[Offshore Drilling, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government is providing leadership on this file. As recently as May 11, the National Energy Board, an independent regulator and quasi-judicial tribunal that has been in place for 50 years, said that it would hold hearings to review the regulations as a whole. The public will be invited to make submissions. As of now, no authorization has been granted for any drilling in the Beaufort Sea or for deepwater drilling in the Arctic. No project will be given the go-ahead unless the government is convinced that the environment and the health and safety of workers will be protected.

[Offshore Drilling, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, marine mapping is being carried out across Canada. Canadians are lucky to have a government that cares about Arctic development and ensuring our sovereignty in the region. My colleague, the Minister of the Environment, announced that he would carry out studies to designate marine areas, which in no way conflicts with comprehensive marine mapping across Canada.

[Oil and Gas Industry, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, acting diligently, the National Energy Board announced on May 11 that it would be reviewing all its offshore drilling requirements. The public, and indeed everyone, will be invited to provide input. This will be done in an open and transparent manner, as we have said repeatedly. So, I suggest that the leader of the New Democratic Party stay tuned to what is going on at the NEB because consultations are forthcoming. The board is in action mode, here and now.

[Oil and Gas Industry, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the leader of the New Democratic Party that the National Energy Board has started a review of its regulations pertaining to project management and offshore drilling. That announcement was made on May 11. The whole process will be reviewed by an independent regulator with a 50-year history. Let us be clear: no project will be allowed to go ahead in Canada until the board is satisfied that the safety and security of workers will be ensured and that the environment will be protected.

[Offshore Drilling, June 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board has not received any drilling applications from Corridor Resources for the Old Harry sector, which my colleague mentioned. Before applying for authorization to drill a well, Corridor Resources must conduct an environmental assessment, apply for an operating licence and obtain approval to drill a well, which it has not yet done.

The board is already tightening up its safety measures, in light of what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico, to improve our regulations, which are the best in the world.