2 August 2012
Gimli, Manitoba
Thank you very much, Vic, for that warm welcome.
Thank you also to James for kicking us off today.
I’m delighted to be back here in Gimli.
I think I was here once before as Prime Minister, it’s my second trip here.
It’s always a beautiful spot to visit, and I’m delighted to be here, not just with Minister Toews, with Minister Fletcher, Minister Raitt from Ontario, and I can’t introduce them all, I see the entire Manitoba caucus, I think we’re meeting later, I think that’s the reason why.
It’s great to have so many friends and Parliamentary colleagues here.
And this of course is an announcement of great significance to the province of Manitoba.
It’s important for me both as Prime Minister and also as a father to be here at this very special place, which is Lake Winnipeg, one of Canada’s natural wonders, one of our planet’s natural wonders.
Some of you will know that the poet Emerson wrote that as human beings, it is important for us to, quote, “leave the world a bit better,” and with willing partners, communities, provinces, even US states, our government is working to do just that.
For all of us have a special duty as citizens and as parents to leave the world a bit better.
This is particularly true when it comes to clean water, and especially given the importance of this natural treasure, this national treasure to the regional economy.
Today we’re very proud to launch the second round of work to clean up Lake Winnipeg.
But first, let me tell you the story. Most of the people in this room will know this.
It was around 1996 that a patch of green algae was first noticed on Lake Winnipeg.
This is something that happens when human activity raises phosphorous levels in a lake.
It gets onto the land and into the streams.
It’s washed down the rivers to the lowest point, in this case Lake Winnipeg.
By 2006 this was happening on such a scale, the nutrient flow was so intense that it began to support a huge algae bloom covering massive areas of the lake.
And that would be the beginning of the end of the lake as a sustainable ecosystem. Something had to be done, so we launched the first phase of the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative.
This initiative has paid for research to figure out what the problem was and where it was coming from.
We also signed an agreement with the province of Manitoba.
Under this accord, we’re working together to improve the water quality of Lake Winnipeg.
Earlier today I had a look at the MV Namao – I’ll have a bit more time there later – which is a vessel operated by the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium.
As many of you know, it was scientists on this ship who have led the research effort by collecting samples of the lake’s water to measure its physical, chemical and biological properties.
These are people highly committed, passionately committed to their work, and they all deserve our hearty applause for the great work they do.
What our scientists learned is that at least half of the nutrients that we’re trying to stop come from outside Manitoba.
This is a big watershed, so there are governments in four Canadian provinces and four US states from which we had to seek help to tackle the problem.
I’m pleased to report that they are assisting us. Together, we have taken the first steps toward reducing the level of the nutrients the algae feed on.
We are achieving results.
Since we first announced the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative, we’ve built new fencing and installed alternative livestock watering systems, we’ve stabilized some 40 kilometres of stream banks, we’ve diverted annually almost six and a half thousand kilograms of phosphorous, and we’ve restored countless wetlands.
Partners like the Meewasin Valley Authority in Saskatchewan have done valuable work to restore natural vegetation on damaged shore lands.
Here Ducks Unlimited is doing the same, and has set up a network to monitor water quality.
These are just a few examples of the many stewardship projects, some simple, some complex, in the lake’s catchment area.
But small or large, they all have this in common: almost all involved organizations and communities coming together as one, pooling their resources with those of our government to achieve the results we all want.
In fact, for every dollar contributed by our government, our partners have invested over two of their own.
That is how we are starting to make a difference here for Lake Winnipeg.
So the basic research is now in place.
We’re seeing positive results, but more needs to be done.
The second phase that I’m announcing today continues our commitment to turn science into action, and to undertake more of the remedial projects I’ve just described.
Our Government’s Economic Action Plan commits renewed and substantial support over five years for the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative.
Under its stewardship program, there will be money available in the areas that need it most.
Actions that will improve the quality of Lake Winnipeg and the life and livelihood she supports will be a priority.
I don’t need to remind anyone here how important this lake is environmentally and economically.
Tourism is a $100 million-plus annual industry.
As a result of today’s announcement, this vital industry will see benefits that include reduced beach closures and improve water quality for all recreational activities.
Lake Winnipeg also supports a vital commercial fishery, a fishery worth some $50 million each year.
Indeed, in total dollar value, this lake’s fishery represents about one quarter of all of Canada’s freshwater fisheries. So ladies and gentlemen...
We have ambitious goals for Lake Winnipeg, and so we should.
This body of water, the tenth largest freshwater lake in the world, is a remarkable piece of Canadian heritage.
For thousands of years, peoples of various cultures have thrived because of this lake.
Vic made some note of this; First Nations, fur traders, and of course, the farmers and settlers who began to arrive exactly 200 years ago this year under the patronage of Lord Selkirk, and laid the basis for the great province of Manitoba that we know today.
The lake has given much.
We in turn much give back, and we have a great deal of work still to do on this project, but I’m confident that we will do it and do it well.
A lot of people from a lot of communities, scientists, local government officials, First Nations, have worked very hard to get us to this point.
We’re starting to make a difference on both sides of the border.
There’s been a lot of goodwill that’s drawn people together. So in closing, ladies and gentlemen, let me just say this: we are leaving our bit of the world a better place, and I want to thank everyone here, because I know there’s all kinds of people in this room who have been intimately involved in this project.
I want to thank each one of you for what you’re doing.
Thank you very much.
