Hon. Gerald S. Merrithew (Minister of State (Forestry)):

Mr. Speaker, having just had consultations with the industry in the United States, I can tell the Hon. Member that it is a matter of concern, and that there is talk in the United States forest industry about quotas and countervail. I am sure it is a matter which concerns my colleagues in External Affairs and

Oral Questions

DRIE. We are presently dealing with the matter. We are monitoring the situation. I think the kind of comment that was made by the Prime Minister, and the kind of atmosphere which we are trying to develop between the United States and Canada, will possibly curtail that kind of talk in the United States.

Hon. Gerald S. Merrithew (Minister of State (Forestry)):

Mr. Speaker, I have visited various parts of B.C. and I do know that there is a great need. My cabinet colleagues are presently dealing with a variety of requests for assistance, and we will deal with that matter in due course.

Hon. Gerald S. Merrithew (Minister of State (Forestry)):

Hon. Gerald S. Merrithew (Minister of State (Forestry)):

Mr. Speaker, after having visited the area I am certainly aware of the concern of the people in the forestry industry regarding NSR lands in B.C. I do hope that the Government will be able to deal with this issue through the signing of a federal-provincial forest agreement very shortly.

Hon. G. S. Gerry Merrithew (Minister of State (Forestry)):

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Hon. Member for Algoma

(Mr. Foster) for his kind comments. I have had some considerable experience in dealing with such matters, coming as I do from the Province of New Brunswick. I also want to apologize to him for being absent when he asked his question. I was addressing a very major group of the Western Forest and Conservation Association in California regarding issues of great concern to Canada-and the Canadian forest industry.

When we have an infestation of any insect, as we have lots of them in this country, it is a matter of great concern to our country and certainly to the forest industry. Believe me, we have agonized in some detail over these infestations and how to deal with them effectively. As the Hon. Member has rightly pointed out, management of the forests and the spray programs are essentially the responsibility of the provinces. We have been working very closely with the province here and I will outline in some detail the steps we have taken to ensure that his legitimate concerns are being addressed.

There is unfortunately only one chemical at this time which has been registered for the jackpine budworm, and that is Fenitrothion, which we have used of course in the Province of New Brunswick. However, the CFS has been working in the Forest Pest Management Institute in Sault Ste. Marie in collecting insects and doing research to find out if it is possible to have a biological insecticide suitable for fighting the jackpine budworm. We would prefer that if it is possible to do and within reasonable cost.

My officials in Sault Ste. Marie met today with the manufacturer of another chemical, Aminocarb, to discuss possible testing of that insecticide to combat the jackpine budworm as well. The Hon. Member may be aware that there is a group called the jackpine working group. They met yesterday to discuss ways of controlling infestation. Present at the meeting were members of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, my own Great Lakes Forest Research Centre and, of course, the Forest Pest Management Institute. We invited representatives as well from the E. B. Eddy Company, a very large employer in the Hon. Member's riding. In the near future we hope to be able to provide the test data to the manufacturers and to Agriculture Canada on the results of our testing. I mention that because of course the registration of pesticides is their responsibility. If they are proven to be effective against the jackpine budworm, it will then be incumbent upon the manufacturer to seek a label amendment from Agriculture Canada. If that is approved, the new insecticide could be available in time for the program next spring.

Believe me, Mr. Speaker, having been a forestry Minister in a province of Canada I know how much time it takes to take all the necessary steps to make sure you have a program prepared to go. I do want to inform the Hon. Member that while steps are being taken by CFS, the decision to go or not go in the Province of Ontario does rest with the province. While we understand that there are some people who have concerns, rightly so, about spraying chemicals or even biologi-

December 6, 1984

cal insecticides, we want to say that they can only be applied if approved by the federal Government and by the provinces, and applied by licenced applicators according to the label instruction. Having worked on these programs for a number of years, I know the controls are pretty tight.

Adjournment Debate