QUESTION PERIOD — Environment and Climate Change
Testing and Classification of Toxic Substances
June 22, 2022
Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.
Senator Gold, central to the control and management of chemical substances is the need to determine their toxicity and classify them according to their potential harm.
In most developed countries, and to avoid conflict of interest, arm’s length or scientific institutions, such as the Centre d’expertise en analyse environnementale du Québec, do this work.
Several times during study of Bill S-5, I asked government officials who undertake the testing and assessment of substances for their toxicity. Are they actual tests or are they literature reviews conducted by the government or industry?
Thank you, Senator Galvez. I participated in many of those hearings, so I’m aware of the questions that you asked. I do believe that you received answers and they would be reflected in Hansard.
I don’t have Hansard at hand. I can refer you back to those answers. I hope that they are satisfactory. On the assumption that they are not, thank you for raising the issue in the chamber. We look forward to the third reading debate on the bill later today.
I would appreciate it if you could provide me with the answers because the answers were not to my satisfaction.
Bill S-5, finally, clearly states that risk is the approach to managing toxic substances, but is it the risk to humans or the risk to the environment? What constitutes highest and acceptable risk?
Thank you. I’m flattered and honoured to be in this position despite what some of my colleagues have said about the government that I represent.
But I’m neither the sponsor of the bill nor an expert, nor indeed even a member of the committee, even though I participated ex officio.
Senator Galvez, respectfully, I think that the question was asked — or should have been asked, if it wasn’t — to the officials in the course of the protracted and extensive study on the bill. I’m afraid I’m not in a position to answer that question in this setting.
