I would first say that this issue is going to be with us for some time to come, and I would not be surprised if we see considerably more activity and work in the department and across government as we learn more and as the consequences of global warming become more identified and quantified.
Second, I would say that in a couple of areas in our science programming, our atmospheric science has largely adjusted to being sensitive to changes in the climate and supporting the understanding of that impact on water resources. That's not unique to Environment Canada, but it's in collaboration with Natural Resources Canada, which has the geological survey and is responsible for a lot of geospatial mapping and so on.
On ice, we have the Canadian Ice Service, which is largely focused on the north. They study the annual ice patterns as well as the multi-year ice situation. The government, as you know, has committed to the establishment of a high Arctic research station. The department is very much involved with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, NRCAN, and National Defence in developing the potential structure, management, and programs of the national ice service. Those are some issues that we are directly involved in as a department.
I know, without speaking for them, that the Department of Health is also involved in this work in terms of monitoring and understanding the impact of global warming in the north, on the peoples of the north and so on.
Of course, in the Canadian Wildlife Service, the particular impacts on species such as the polar bear are a main focus of attention within the department, and also within provincial and local organizations, with the Inuit, and internationally.