Questions and responses 41st Parliament, 2nd session October 16, 2013, to August 2, 2015

With respect to the Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COARGLBE): (a) what is the current status of approvals with respect to each proposed Annex within each department or agency that is a partner to the Canadian Federal Great Lakes Program (CFGLP); (b) which department or agency is the responsible authority for consulting First Nations on the COARGLBE; (c) what was or is the budget of each department or agency that is a partner to the CFGLP for consulting with First Nations on the COARGLBE; (d) which department is the responsible authority for considering and developing the proposed First Nations Annex (FNA); (e) which departments or agencies have discussed the proposed FNA with First Nations; (f) what is the status of deliberations or discussions with respect to the proposed FNA; (g) which departments or agencies have committed verbally or in writing to creating an FNA; (h) what is the expected timeline for approving the FNA; and (i) what is the expected timeline of approving the COARGLBE?

With regard to the government's announcement on May 28, 2012, that it will allocate $17.5 billion over five years to combat the invasion of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes Watershed through prevention, early warning, rapid response and management and control, what is: (a) the progress on these initiatives; and (b) the total amount of monies distributed in each focus area to date?

With regard to Environment Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada staff working on issues related to the Great Lakes Basin (Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River) from 1972 to 2014 inclusive: (a) what is the total number of such staff for each year, broken down by type of staffing (e.g. “scientific”, “technical”, etc.); and (b) what is the aggregate salary of all such staff, broken down by (i) actual expenditure, (ii) expenditures adjusted for inflation?

With regard to the International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS) commissioned by the International Joint Council (IJC): (a) what input or comment did the government provide, through any department or agency, during the comment periods for the two stages of the report; (b) what documents have been produced by any departments or agencies in preparation for or as a result of the IUGLS report, including the date and authoring department or agency of each document; (c) for each year since 2006, what measures have been taken by the government to mitigate falling water levels in the Great Lakes, broken down by department and agency; (d) what measures have been taken by departments or agencies as a result of the recommendations in the IUGLS; (e) what measures are being considered by departments or agencies as a result of, or in relation to, the IUGLS; and (f) what documents have been produced by any department or agency with regard to existing or future economic or environmental impacts of volatile water levels in the Great Lakes basin, including the date and authoring department or agency of each document?

With regard to harmful algae blooms in the Great Lakes: (a) what government initiatives are in place to study and mitigate the impact of these; and (b) are there future plans to address this problem?