We agree with the senior counsel from the Department of Justice. There is currently a federal regulation under the phosphorus concentration regulations. It limits laundry detergents to 2.2%. If this bill proceeds and if the bill is amended to 0.5%, as is being proposed by some of the members on the committee, the legislation and the regulation would conflict specifically for laundry detergents.
The regulation currently says 2.2%, and the legislation would say 0.5%. That sends conflicting messages to industry and Canadians. That is why we are recommending that the bill either not proceed and a motion be tabled with this committee instructing the federal government to move forward amending the regulations under CEPA that already exist, or that the bill be substantially amended and that the Minister of Environment be instructed to create federal regulations. Either way, it has to be done by regulations rather than amending CEPA. We do not want CEPA weakened.