Yes, that is indeed a big weakness in the current bill. All the measures proposed in the bill, such as the obligation to uphold the right to a healthy environment, are actually contingent on the decision to declare a substance as being toxic and to set up a risk management program for that substance. Unfortunately, there is nothing in the current act or in the bill that guarantees that such a program will indeed be set up. Those are some of the improvements that I mentioned. I believe that my colleague who will be testifying during the second part of the meeting will talk about this more.
We are recommending that Bill S‑5 set clear deadlines for risk assessments, as well as timelines for the publication of proposed recommendations in order to manage the risks associated with these toxic substances. There should also be an obligation for the minister to be responsible for setting up such a risk management program.