The bill we are studying, C-377, contains a commitment in terms of reductions for two dates, that is 2020 and 2050, and the reference year set out is 1990. Over the last few weeks, the opposition was in Bali and we saw how the international negotiation was unfolding. The Canadian government was attempting to push the reference year as far away from 1990 as possible. The result of that is to thwart the efforts being made by sovereign states as well as by businesses in various states that are affected.
Does the 1990 reference year allow for past efforts made to be taken into consideration both by the member states of the European Union as well as by the businesses that decided, from 1990 on, to table plans to fight against climate change?
I see that you are also responsible for the environment directorate, climate change strategy and international negotiation unit. Is the reference year a fundamental component of international negotiations?