Natural Resources committee  I'm not sure I'm going to be able to answer that, but I know that our department is specified in the offshore accords. That legislation specifies Natural Resources Canada as the department that acts as the manager, if you will, of those revenues coming into government and then flowing out to the offshore boards.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for that question. I understand the primary inflationary impact is derived from the increase in the price of oil; that's what's causing those revenues to increase. There's some variance or change in production levels of the boards, but it primarily can be accounted for by the price of oil.

Natural Resources committee  Pardon me. I may have misinterpreted your last question. Are you speaking about the overall estimates and the increase in our overall estimates?

Natural Resources committee  I'd be happy to give a much more textured response. The main reason for the increases is the representation of new priorities on the part of the government in the area of natural resources. Some of the examples include the increase that accounts for the investments in the forest industry long-term competitiveness strategy and the investments in offshore development to which the minister made reference in terms of the investments we're making in research and development to substantiate our claims under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Natural Resources committee  It's a good question. I would think that realistically—

Natural Resources committee  That question really relates well to one of the department's priorities over the last year and a half. That was how to take the overall smart regulation approach and apply it to major natural resource projects. The reason we had been drawn into this priority was the fact that we have, for one thing, a significant increase in the demand on our regulatory agencies in review and assessment of large natural resource projects.

Natural Resources committee  I think that after one year of operation we would be in a position to report back on the progress made through that office. I also wanted to add that one of the objectives of this initiative was to increase the transparency of how the overall regulatory system works. So there will be a website that will post the key milestones for each project.

Natural Resources committee  I'm just wondering if my ADM from energy technology might want to add something. We can certainly provide some of that information. I just don't have those specifics with me.

Natural Resources committee  Sure. This is Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, our assistant deputy minister for energy technology programs.

Natural Resources committee  This is a very good question. It relates to the overall strategy of our ecoENERGY initiative, which has been the focus of our energy work over the last year. It is aimed at supporting a diverse approach to energy production. Renewables and solar are both priorities under that ecoENERGY Initiative.

Natural Resources committee  I'm sure the honourable member would recognize that I wouldn't be of the same mind on that front. Over the course of the last half a decade at NRCan, the largest investment that we have made in supporting energy production has been in wind. This is continued with ecoENERGY for renewables.

Natural Resources committee  Mr. Chair, I think I have canvassed this question a couple of times. I am the principal advisor to the Minister of National Resources on all matters within his portfolio. As such, I sit in...and I provide advice on all aspects of the portfolio. I don't believe there was any necessity, or that it would have been in any way useful or made any difference to bring that information to the attention of the head of CNSC.

Natural Resources committee  I would agree that the importance of this kind of discussion is to ensure that we learn from the experience. That certainly has been the approach of my department. But I can tell you that the guidance document you refer to speaks against intervening in a particular case and on behalf of an individual constituent or an individual interest group.

Natural Resources committee  Mr. Chair, I advised the minister, I attended the call, I helped schedule it—it was a scheduled call—and I certainly.... I advise the minister on any areas in the portfolio, and I certainly—

Natural Resources committee  I certainly did.