Fisheries committee  A thousand degrees.

Fisheries committee  That's right.

Fisheries committee  If I may, it's interesting that you raised the trade issue, because—

Fisheries committee  Let me quote from a 1980 briefing note prepared by DFO inspection branch officials on finding out that there were high cadmium and lead levels in some of the commercial species in the Baie des Chaleurs. I obtained the memo under the right to information, and it says in part—it's

Fisheries committee  Exactly. As I described at the outset--and forgive me for taking so much time--unless you know the ecosystem, it's hard to understand what the fate of contamination is. I've been a marine biologist for 29 years, and I've worked in a variety of institutions. In the Baie des Cha

Fisheries committee  Yes, absolutely.

Fisheries committee  Right now, the way the management system works in DFO is that they allow a certain amount of habitat to be destroyed by the effluent coming out of pipes, out of every industry's—

Fisheries committee  It is, absolutely, and what I'm saying is that we really have to.... For example, in the case of the fertilizer plant, all that gypsum, back in 1968—and this was really quite smart—the minister said if we're going to start seeing an impact, you're going to have to take that efflu

Fisheries committee  No. They knew this was going to be a problem, and they said as soon as we start seeing a problem you have to start figuring out another way of treating that effluent. And they didn't do it, because once you give a licence to do something, it's really hard to take it back or make

Fisheries committee  That's right.

Fisheries committee  It's being done in Belledune right now. The lobsters that are caught in the harbour and in the lagoon are caught and incinerated, and they've been so since 1980.

Fisheries committee  I'm wrapping. And finally, I want you to ask them if they take any responsibility for the destruction of fish and fish habitat in Belledune. Thank you.

Fisheries committee  No.

Fisheries committee  No.

Fisheries committee  You have to understand what the risk assessment process is all about.