Thank you, Chair. I'd like to direct this round of questions to Minister Dabrusin, specifically about the regions of national interest.
To set that up, it's important that this bill preserve the approved framework that Canadians expect—environmental, health, social and economic impacts—and that these continue to be assessed. We need to talk about cumulative effects and the climate commitments that need to be considered, and keep indigenous rights and indigenous knowledge as part of federal decision-making. We need to reduce duplication and improve certainty at the same time.
The way I understand it, this bill is a change of process but not a change of standards, and it's not going to remove environmental assessment requirements or environmental laws. However, there have been questions when we talk about “regions of national interest”, which can be referred to as “advanced planning” before a region can be designated as having to undergo regional assessments under the Impact Assessment Act. That examines existing and future activities, cumulative effects, indigenous rights, environmental and social conditions, and human health. More work up front can actually equal less repetition later. Minister, can you explain how we can do this work up front, and that the process is not an automatic approval or the creation of some sort of exemption zone?