The section you are referring to is entitled “Integrate energy and climate change”.
In our audit, it became clear, quite quickly, that economic development was increasing, as was consumption and energy production, and that in this context, climate change was at stake.
The question was how to reconcile two objectives that may seem, at first sight, completely opposite. The principle here is to be able to dissociate economic growth and energy production. We must move towards a transformation that will enable us to reduce the use of fossil fuels as much as possible.
We know that other countries, mainly Sweden, have successfully dissociated these two aspects. It is not impossible. Of course, we can always enforce programs or measures to reduce greenhouse gases, but what we are talking about here is the need for an in-depth look at how to continue along the road to economic development while taking into account what that requires. To achieve that, our management practices must be more effective. So we are talking about energy conservation and using renewable energy.
It is not up to us to determine the model. We are simply saying that you are currently talking about an approach, but that we did not see anything in our audit that would lead us to believe that there is a federal approach designed to reconcile energy development and the reduction of greenhouse gases.
We need an element like that to start with. That is why we mentioned, among other things, Minister Lunn's presentation before your committee last June, according to which there is a policy paper on energy development in Canada.
In our opinion, it is important for us to be familiar with the general thrust of the policy and for Canadians to take a stand on the suggested approach. Following that, it will be a question of implementing the programs needed to meet the greenhouse gas reduction objectives.