I would ask that he listen closely, because what I am going to say is important. My question in June and my question today relate to respect for the will of British Columbians. Let me speak to the will of British Columbians.

It is the will of British Columbians not to have supertankers on our coastline. That is why since 1972 there has been a moratorium. Although the port of Vancouver was grandfathered at the time, the coastline of British Columbia, and Hecate Strait in particular, which according to Environment Canada is the fourth most hazardous body of water on Earth, is not traversed by supertankers carrying oil because we have had a moratorium since 1972.

That moratorium is the will of British Columbians, and we will, as a province and as a people, continue to insist that the Prime Minister of this country respect the British Columbia firewall.

Pierre Poilievre: Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed the member wants to build a firewall around British Columbia, particularly on the issue of international shipping.

There is not an expert in the world on regulatory matters that would believe it in the interest of Canada to go to province by province regulations for shipping. We would have five or six different regimes just entering the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes, and that would not be practical.

The reality is that we have had tankers going in and out of the British Columbia west coast since the 1930s, a total of 82 tankers last year, 1,302 tankers in the last 5 years, and 200 oil and chemical tankers safely visited the ports of Prince Rupert and Kitimat.

We have strong regulations, aerial surveillance, onboard inspections. For 20 years, as a result of these strong regulatory actions and the co-operation of industry, we have not had a single, solitary major oil spill in Canadian waters. That is a success story we should celebrate, not something we should tear down.

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• Regional offices of Environment Canada’s Environmental Emergency Programme with only one office in Quebec left.
• Ten Coast Guard operations, including the Search and Rescue Operation in Vancouver, plus marine communication operations in Kitsilano, Comox, and Tofino – affecting the ability of the Coast Guard to monitor and deal with marine pollution offences.
• The entire contaminants programme within Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
• Nearly all of the DFO scientists studying marine toxicology across Canada – 75 scientists.

“The Harper Conservatives are out of control with their slashing of our country’s capacity to do any scientific monitoring or research.  These decisions will have a direct impact on the safety and health of Canadians and have the potential to be devastating for our environment,” said May.

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This enactment amends Part 9 of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to prohibit the transportation of oil in oil tankers in the areas of the sea adjacent to the coast of Canada known as Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound.

Preamble

Whereas the transportation of oil in oil tankers in certain areas of the sea adjacent to the coast of Canada poses a risk to the marine environment;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Canada Shipping Act, 2001

1. The Canada Shipping Act, 2001 is amended by adding the following after section 189:

Prohibition Definitions

189.1 The following definitions apply in sections 189.2 and 189.3.

“in bulk” means in a hold or tank that is part of the structure of a vessel, without any intermediate form of containment.

“oil” has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act.

“oil tanker” means a vessel that is constructed or adapted primarily to transport oil in bulk.

Prohibition

189.2 (1) No person shall transport oil in an oil tanker in the areas of the sea adjacent to the coast of Canada known as Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound.

Clarification

(2) The areas of the sea referred to in subsection (1) are those areas included within Zone 3 as described in the Fishing Zones of Canada (Zones 1, 2 and 3) Order made under the Oceans Act.

For greater certainty

(3) For greater certainty, the prohibition in subsection (1) does not apply in respect of the transportation of gasoline, aviation fuel, diesel oil or fuel oil that is intended for use in coastal and island communities in Canada.

2. Subsection 191(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “and” at the end of paragraph (c) and by adding the following after that paragraph:

(c.1) section 189.2 (prohibition against operation of oil tanker in specified area);

(c.2) an order made under section 189.3 (prohibition against operation of oil tanker in specified area); and

Coming into force

3. This Act comes into force 30 days after the day on which it receives royal assent.

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