Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the news that PanArctic has received permission to dump some 400 tons of waste metal into the Arctic ocean off Lougheed Island in the high Arctic is very disturbing and begins a very dangerous precedent. Mr. Speaker, is the Arctic ocean to become the dump site of industry in the future? If we allow this method of waste disposal to go ahead without the full consultation of northern residents and the full understanding of the long-term consequences, we run the risk of long-term and permanent environmental damage, but worse than that, we run the risk of establishing a very dangerous precedent. This door, once opened, will become very hard, if not impossible, to close.

We are very much aware of all the exploration work that has gone on over the past two decades across the Arctic. Needless to say there are tons of waste materials and equipment left and abandoned in the north. This material will have to be disposed of in the coming years and the companies will be looking for the most convenient and least expensive way of carrying it out.

If we support and sanction off-shore ocean dumping, we will set a dangerous and undesirable precedent for our Arctic waters or other territorial deep waters for that matter. Mr. Speaker, we must voice our concerns in the strongest possible terms that this is an unacceptable solution to a problem not of our creation.

I urge the government to revisit this proposal and to pressure the federal government to hold off on this project until all of the facts are known. Once started, it will be hard to stop. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.