Environment committee  The letter of May 12 was a summary of the testimony that was given by the environmental groups that appeared before the committee on March 10. The reasons why sections 70, 71, and subsection 75(3), among others, are not working adequately is probably something that is best provid

Environment committee  I think we have two issues—or at least two—with that. During the course of the categorization process, endocrine disruption and neurotoxicity were not human end points that were mandatory for evaluation in that process, but if there was data available on those points, it was co

Environment committee  In our written material, we indicated that we support the recommendations made by the witnesses for the non-governmental environmental organizations that appeared before the committee on, I believe, March 10. One of those recommendations included environmental justice principles.

Environment committee  We indicated in our material that fracking is one of the areas that is exempt from reporting under the NPRI. Given the nature of the chemicals that are used in the fracking process, it's our view that fracking as an activity, and the chemicals it uses, have to become part of the

Environment committee  My apologies. I missed the very last portion of that. I missed the question.

Environment committee  Mr. Bossio, the summary that you gave of the levels of emissions that we're seeing, which we had set out in our material, I think constitutes an indictment of the risk-based approach. If the risk-based approach were effective, we wouldn't be seeing the kinds of increases in toxic

Environment committee  The issue of environmental justice was raised not only today by you, but also in the testimony in March, so we've had an opportunity to think about it. Our understanding of the position of the industry representatives at the time was that, in their view, such considerations were

Environment committee  We would be happy to do that, sir.

Environment committee  In our respectful submission, it is risky to rely on a risk-based approach in regulating toxic substances in Canada. It is true, as the industry members have said, that CELA is based on risk, and risk is a function of hazard times exposure. I think I understand the industry posit

Environment committee  I agree with you. In our material, we mentioned, for example, the situation with the application of the half-life for persistence in water that was applied during the categorization process. It's two to three times less stringent than some of the persistence criteria that we se

Environment committee  This was an issue in the last CEPA review, in 2005. Our organization suggested that the definition of what's “CEPA-toxic” under this statute makes the requirements extremely onerous in terms of—how shall I say—overcoming the hurdles that are provided by section 64 of the statute.

Environment committee  Well, thank you, Michael, for the question. I think it's a combination of all the factors you mentioned. Our screening of substances is not what it should be. Once they're available commercially, our ability to control them is over-rated, and when that occurs our ability to ensu

Environment committee  Thank you, Madam Chair, for inviting us to appear before the committee this morning on the subject of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. We provided the committee with three documents, and we'll be happy to answer any questions regarding any of them during the course of

Environment committee  I certainly took those points into account, but I was primarily influenced by the majority judgment and the manner in which the majority basically set out a road map for establishing the constitutionality of CEPA based on the criminal law power--an exercise that I think was expan

Environment committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. As we noted in our pre-filed written submissions, the subject matter of Bill C-377 can be characterized as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions so as to contribute to the protection of the global climate system and to curb