Opening Statement to the Committee Committee On Public Accounts

Ozone Layer Protection: The Unfinished Journey (Chapter 27 - 1997 Report of the Auditor General)

L. Denis Desautels, FCA
Auditor General Of Canada

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to highlight again just how critical the ozone layer is to the health of all Canadians and the preservation of our environment. Ozone depletion is a serious global environmental problem. And because of its northern location, Canada is one of the countries most at risk from ozone depletion.

Without that protective layer, plants and animals are damaged, and public health is threatened. Ozone depletion is linked to serious health problems such as cataracts and cancer. More than 60,000 Canadians are estimated to have developed skin cancer last year. Of these, 3,200 will have melanoma and, of these, 660 are expected to die.

This is why Canada has attached a high priority to preventing ozone depletion and played a creative and respected role in the global effort to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances, such as CFCs.

Ten years ago Canada, along with more than 160 other countries, signed the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). We believe that it is important for Canadians to know how well Canada is doing. Are we living up to our obligations and promises? Are our efforts achieving our objectives? Are our efforts enough to protect and rebuild this ozone layer so that it, in turn, can protect us and our children from the harmful rays of the sun?

We were first struck by the fact that 50 percent of Canadians do not protect themselves in the sun. Information on solar radiation is readily available in an understandable form (the UV Index) so that people may take appropriate precautions. But there is no formal strategy on the part of Health Canada to get people to change their behaviour.

Second, we noted that Canada had met its international commitments to stop making or importing ozone-depleting substances. At the same time, the federal government lacks an overall and up-to-date strategy for dealing with its own inventories. Finally, Environment Canada has the job of inspecting companies that handle these substances, and we found that its efforts were inadequate and inconsistent.

My biggest concern, however, is staying the course. Ironically, a degree of success on this issue has led people to believe that the problem of ozone depletion is solved. It is not. The harmful affects of solar radiation will continue to increase, doing irreparable damage to us and our planet, if we do not continue our efforts. Our work is only half done.

Finishing the job means that Health Canada must be more effective in educating adults and children about the ways to protect themselves from the sun.

Finishing the job means the federal government must review its overall strategies for policy, enforcement and management. It must set a good example by managing its own inventories of ozone-depleting substances.

Finishing the job will mean using effectively the resources available for ozone layer recovery. The federal and provincial governments will need to work together to establish priorities for action and to ensure that they have consistent and complementary regulations.

Finally, finishing the job will require Canadians to work more closely with developing countries to ensure that we all meet our commitments.

Ozone depletion remains a high-priority problem that directly affects our environment and our health. We have made great progress, but now is not the time to rest on our laurels. The journey is still unfinished.

This Committee can play an important role. You can emphasize the dangers of complacency among individual Canadians and among departments; you can obtain a commitment from Departments that action on ozone depletion remains a priority and that departments develop specific plans for dealing with the problems identified.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We would be pleased to respond to any questions.