Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the recent announcement that the federal government has negotiated a deal with the United States for about $100 million for DEW line clean ups is unacceptable. The federal government is abdicating its responsibility and in Nunavut, NTI has reached an impasse with the Department of National Defence on the plan to clean up these sites.
Mr. Speaker, the $100 million announced is a convoluted sum. It is my understanding as reported in the media, it has a caveat that the money is to be spent or used as a credit for military equipment. That is unacceptable. The Department of National Defence still has not decided what to do with PCB-laden materials from the north's abandoned DEW line sites. The majority of which are located in Nunavut.
I have articulated these concerns in this House before because the Department of National Defence requested an exception to federal environment rules on the disposal and burying of PCB materials, like paint, by burying them in the ground.
If painted materials such as wood are burned improperly, there is the potential that the PCBs may be leached into the environment. In my riding of Iqaluit, we have seen the cost and time it took to clean up the upper base site. Also, in the constituency of Iqaluit, the Resolution Island site is, from all reports one of the most contaminated in the north, is still being investigated. Where will the money come from to clean up and restore these sites? Surely the Nunavut or new western government will not be expected to cover the cost which could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that this government has been as forceful as we should have been on this issue. I also think that during the current federal election, it could have been raised to bring attention to it. I also understand that Environment Canada has officially now turned down the request by the Department of National Defence to bury PCB laden material at the sites, ruling that the material, Mr. Speaker, is too toxic. We have to get aggressive on the whole issue of environmental clean ups of these military sites. The abdication, Mr. Speaker, by the federal government on the recent agreement with the United States is unacceptable and it must be challenged. Mr. Speaker, later today I will ask our Minister for the Environment questions on these matters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--Applause