Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the Commissioner for his report, which was unfortunately submitted while the committee was away on business in Alberta. It provides us with an update on the Canadian government's progress with respect to climate change policies, programs and plans.
When the government was elected in 2006, it undertook a program review. Treasury Board examined all of Environment Canada's and Natural Resources Canada's programs. It evaluated those programs using three categories: the first involved programs that it recommended be renewed; the second, programs that it recommended be cancelled; and the third, those that it recommended be reviewed. I believe that the review was done in 2006. The goal was to see whether the previous government's programs had met their greenhouse gas reduction targets. I remember that certain programs ended up being cancelled.
If I understand correctly, the government introduced a program audit procedure. How is it that the government is now having difficulty making the connection between the performance of these programs and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, when Treasury Board established a program specifically for that purpose?
Are you saying that the government does not have a system in place? Commissioner, in your speaking notes, you said that without a system to measure the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from these measures, the government cannot tell Parliament whether the measures are productive or not.
How is it that, in 2006, the government was able to put in place a procedure to audit the previous government's programs, when it is unable to put in place a system to evaluate its own programs?