Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the important aspects of water protection and protecting our land, air, and resources is the protection of the watersheds, as we hear on the news what’s happening in Fort McMurray and what effects it is having on the Athabasca and Mackenzie rivers systems.
An area of controversy in my riding is dealing with the Peel River watershed and the planning commission report that is presently before public hearings. There were some 60 people at a public meeting in Fort McPherson where they made their voices heard loud and clear that they don’t want 80 percent protection of the Peel River watershed; they want 100 percent protection.
We may ask why. Anyone downstream from major resource developments should be worried, in consideration of what’s happening in Fort McMurray. There are some 8,000 mineral claims in the Peel River watershed that have potential to have long-term effects downstream, especially for those communities on the Peel River, such as Fort McPherson and Aklavik.
I think it’s important that we consider this as a jewel to protect for the national interests of all people in Canada and the world. This region has not only cultural value to the indigenous people but also important significance to protecting a watershed that still flows freely and has an abundance of wildlife and plant species that have been there for thousands of years.
I think it’s important as a government that we take positions when we talk about water bodies that affect jurisdictions downstream, such as the Northwest Territories by way of the Peel River watershed, which flows from the Yukon into the Northwest Territories and through to the Arctic Ocean. I think it’s more important that as a government we make our position known.
At the appropriate time I will be having questions for the Minister of Environment on this important issue to the people I represent.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
