House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, I am not sure from where my colleague is drawing these numbers.
Climate change remains one of the principal focuses of my department, as does clean air in its various air sheds across the country and through the different programs we operate.
My colleague needs to understand that the central objectives of Environment Canada have not changed at all. We remain focused on providing Canadians with an environment that is clean, safe and sustainable.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, it is a very large and multi-agency department. However, now that I get the gist of my colleague's question, the answer is that our budget is remaining relatively flat from the 2010-11 budget year to 2011-12. There are some very slight changes. I do not know where she got the figure that she is referring to.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, we are focusing on the essential services of the department, which we have looked at very carefully. We have made some very tough choices with regard to programs that do not relate to the core obligations and services provided by Environment Canada. Those programs will be trimmed and the affected staff will be treated in a considerate and respectful way.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, I would like my hon. colleague to amplify a bit further her interest in the programs of the department.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, as my colleague knows, but I think I should share with this House, there are a number of provisions that provide and enable enhanced protection. These include establishing ecologically sensitive areas, such as a critical spawning habitat for salmon or other species, and if any activities are proposed within these areas, proponents would be required to submit plans for review. As my colleague said, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans may then require higher levels of protection for such areas.
Other measures include increased fines and penalties for offences, the creation of enforceable conditions for ministerial authorizations and a duty to notify requirement that states that proponents shall report an occurrence that results in serious harm to these important fisheries.
Our government made these reforms, in 2010 with regard to improvements in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and we have built on those with regard to the responsible resource development legislation that is now before this House.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, I thank my colleague from Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge—Mission for shining some very clear light on the constructive improvements to the Fisheries Act.
The responsible resource development act seeks to modernize and strengthen environmental protection for natural resource developments in Canada. Our government made the first round of reforms to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act in budget 2010, when we started the process of providing predictable timelines for project assessments. We are continuing this process in a government-wide approach now, including assessments conducted by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the National Energy Board and the Department of Fisheries.
At the end of these assessments, proponents will be unable to proceed unless they comply with conditions set out clearly in the assessment. As I told the House a few moments ago, failure to comply with mitigation measures can result in significant monetary penalties from $100,000 to $400,000. These penalties help give teeth to our already effective environmental protection regime.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, my hon. colleague's question is, if anything, more under-informed than the comments offered by the environment commissioner a week ago.
As I have explained, our government has invested $3.5 billion in a federal contaminated sites program. However, the program is aimed only at the largest, the most seriously contaminated, locations.
Overall in Canada, there is a list of perhaps 22,000 contaminated sites, most of them relatively small. However, the lead agency in each of those cases is either the federal department or the agency which has the responsibility. There are 16 bodies which have the lead in this case. The federal government's lead is on only the most seriously contaminated sites. The environment commissioner did compliment us on our work to date. We have closed 42% of the major contaminated sites that we have targeted. We are halfway through a 15 year program, and we will proceed.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, my colleague seems to have more information about a new plan which is not in the firmament.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, again, as I have informed my colleague a number of times in the House, LIDAR is not used in Environment Canada's ongoing air quality monitoring, but we will maintain our capacity for possible future applications. It is an important technology, but at the moment, there are no clients in Canada who wish to avail themselves of the technology. However, as I have said, we will maintain our capacity in this area.
Business of Supply May 15th, 2012
Madam Chair, as I said, with regard to our three Arctic stations, we will continue operating there as we have. With regard to the southern stations, again it is our scientists who make those decisions, not the minister.