Statement made on 08 June 2010 by Senator William Rompkey (retired)
Hon. Bill Rompkey:
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. About a year ago, the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans made a number of recommendations about the Arctic. Among them was the recommendation to make NORDREG compulsory. NORDREG is the shipping regulations for the North.
On the Atlantic coast, the regulations were compulsory. On the Pacific coast, they were compulsory. In the Arctic, they were voluntary. The government accepted the recommendation and did make NORDREG compulsory in the Arctic, but only for vessels 300 tonnes and larger. Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all but, with the opening up of the Northwest Passage and more ships going through there, would the minister encourage her colleagues to go the whole way and ensure that every ship going through the Northwest Passage reports to Canadian authorities?
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