Brian Masse M.P. Brianmasse.Ca Protecting Our Great Lakes For

Protecting Our Great Lakes for Future Generations & How You Can Help Algae Invasive Radioactive Micro Water Blooms Carp Nuclear Plastics Levels Waste www.brianmasse.cBrian Masse M.P.a brianmasse.ca1 Dear friends, As the federal NDP Critic for the Great Lakes, I have taken particular interest in several issues that threaten this largest surface freshwater system on earth. As you are aware, Canada and the United States share the more than 1200 kilometers of lakes meaning we also share responsibility for protecting this vast water source and ensuring that it remains a viable and healthy source of water for generations to come. In the past decade, several issues have become more and more prevalent when discussing the Great Lakes including: ♦ Algae Blooms ♦ Invasive Species—Invasive Carp ♦ Micro Plastics ♦ Radioactive Nuclear Waste Storage ♦ Water levels. We saw most recently the threat posed by toxic blue- green algae in Lake Erie, and ultimately, the threat this posed on the drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents who rely on Lake Erie for potable water. For several years we have heard about Invasive Carp moving into our waters. Asian Carp pose a serious threat to the Great Lakes especially for the multi-billion dollar commercial and recreational fishery, and the livelihoods of thousands of families are in the crosshairs. Once a population of Asian Carp is established, their plague would be irreversible. On another front we see the dangers being posed to the Great Lakes ecosystem by an increasing amount of micro plastics (plastic less than 5mm in diameter). Recent studies have found the Great Lakes have some extremely high concentrations of these micro plastics which can upset entire ecosystems and can cause death to wildlife who confuse these plastics for foods. 2 Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West) Further, debates are taking place surrounding the permanent burial of nuclear waste in the Great Lakes region. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) plans to build a Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) to bury and abandon low and intermediate level nuclear waste within a kilometre of the Great Lakes potentially endangering 21% of the world`s fresh surface water relied upon by 40 million people for drinking, recreation, tourism and commerce. Finally, the Great Lakes water levels have been steadily declining over recent years with numerous studies done and no action taken to date. Lake levels affect trade, tourism and the environment. Because of a particularly icy winter this past season, water levels rebounded by 45 centimeters. We welcome this, but after decades of decline, we must bring solutions to the table rather than jeopardize future drops in water levels which will significantly impact all of us. This booklet is designed to educate, inform, and help you take action to help protect our Great Lakes for generations to come. More information on all of these campaigns is available at www.brianmasse.ca. Thank you for taking action and for helping protect the Great Lakes. Brian Masse MP (Windsor West) www.brianmasse.c a 3 This past August 2014, a A recent report by the drinking water ban was in place International Joint Commission for over 400,000 residents in (IJC) cites that toxic algal blooms Toledo, Ohio. In Canada, are being “fueled by excessive residents of Pelee Island also had agricultural fertilizer runoff and a two week water ban. Why? urban sources.” They made 16 Toxins in the water supply recommendations to rendered the water unsafe due government officials on how to to blue-green algal blooms on mitigate these blooms. the shores of Lake Erie. Currently, there are close to 37 Brian Masse wrote to the federal million people living in the Great Minister of Environment asking Lakes basin and more than 26 what plans the Canadian million of these people rely on Government has, or intends to the Great Lakes for their put into place to help stop these drinking water. Many people blooms. Here is an excerpt: don't realize it, but resources in “I am urging your government to the Great Lakes Basin are develop an aggressive strategy responsible for the quality of our to ensure that phosphorous lives including the rich farmland, levels in the Great Lakes do not abundant fish, water power, threaten our water supply. transportation, and natural beauty. These blooms can pose a significant risk to fish, wildlife Within the 201,000 square miles and human health. Recently an of the Great Lakes Basin, 67,000 enormous algae bloom impacted are devoted to agriculture-- an over 400 000 people living in the area larger than each of the Southwest Lake Erie bordering states except region. Those affected went Minnesota. The Lake Erie region, days without access to safe where we see many of these potable water from the public toxic algal blooms, leads the utility system due to algae Great Lakes in the raising of pigs, induced toxic contamination.” sheep, soybeans, wheat, and ~Brian Masse MP (Letter to Minister chicken corn. The nutrient of Environment and Minister of phosphorus is the main culprit, Fisheries and Oceans) among many, in promoting algal growth. 4 Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West) The International Joint Commission (IJC) is an independent organization established between Canada and the US under the 1901 Boundary Waters Treaty. The IJC is tasked with studying issues on all shared bodies of water between our two countries. They are constantly researching issues, monitoring changes and overseeing water ALGAE BLOOMS agreements. They report to both the Canadian and Hitting especially Lake Erie American federal governments and share again this past summer 2014, it recommendations from is time that both the Canadian their findings. They and US governments take recently released a report action to stop the toxic algae. on the algal blooms in Lake Erie which can be located at their website. Take Action 1. Visit my website and download the letter to the Government of Canada asking them to adopt the IJC recommendations in their report on algal blooms: www.brianmasse.ca. 2. Send your letter (postage-free) to the following addresses: ⇒ Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 ⇒ Hon. Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Environment House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 www.brianmasse.c a 5 As you may know, one of the most pressing threats to our Great Lakes is the infestation of Invasive Carp. The two species of Asian carp most threatening to the Lakes are Silver Carp and Big Mouth Carp, which commonly grow to be 50 Ibs. Invasive Carp are particularly devastating to ecosystems because they feed on several INVASIVE CARP types of phytoplankton, stealing the food that These invasive fish are slowly moving native fish require to into our freshwater Great Lakes. survive. As such, they disrupt the entire food chain. In some contributories to the Mississippi river, these species make up of 90% of the biomass. While the United States rightly contemplates a number of multi-million dollar and billion dollar infrastructure spending projects to curb this invasion, Canada has not done enough to date. That`s why NDP Great Lakes Critic Brian Masse introduced Bill C-629 that will: • Ban the import of the live Asian carp; • Prohibit the advertising or sale of these fish in Canada and between provinces; • Require full evisceration before importation; and, • Give power to CBSA officers to enforce the law. 6 Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West) www.brianmasse.c Take Actio Take The carp are coming! Right now there are two species of Asian Carp that are We need to stop the importation threatening our Great Lakes ecosystems. The of Invasive Carp! a Silver Carp and Big Mouth Carp can grow up Brian Masse MP’s Bill C-629 will: to 50 lbs., and devastate entire marine • n ecosystems by feeding on several types of Ban the import of the live fish; algae and plankton, thus displacing almost all • Prohibit the advertising or sale of other aquatic life. these fish in Canada and between provinces; • Require full evisceration before importation; and, • Give power to CBSA to enforce the sign the back and mail law. following postcard, If these invasive species establish a population in the cut out Just postage free postage it back me to our Great Lakes, it threatens our tourism industry, ecosystems, and the $7 billion commercial and recreational fishing industry. For more information: . www.brianmasse.ca 7 ) . YesYes Brian, Brian, I agree I support that adding your a bike lane would be a great idea campaignon the new internationalto keep the crossing invasive between Windsor and Detroit. Asian Carp out of our Great Lakes. it back me to postage free postage Just cut out the cut out Just following postcard, No Postage sign the back and mail No Postage RequiredRequired _______________________________________________ Name RETURN TO: ___________________________________________ Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West) Address Room 1000 Valour Building Bldg. House of Commons Brian (Windsor West Masse M.P. ___________________________________________ Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 n City Prov. ___________________________________________ Postal Code Phone ___________________________________________ E-mail Take Actio Take 8 What will Bill C-629 do? Brian Masse’s legislation is an important first step in Canada towards enacting change. If passed, it will introduce a Canada-wide ban on the live import of Invasive Carp and require that these fish be eviscerated (gutted) prior to crossing our borders. Additionally, it will bolster our capacity to enforce this ban and increase the level of deterrence by increasing fines for noncompliance. Evisceration is critical due to the physiology of invasive carp. Incredibly, these fish have survived in packed ice for up to 2 days and smugglers are able to cross the border with what appears to be a shipment of dead fish only to rehydrate them once they clear customs.

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