In your brief, you also say the following:
This well-established precedent for appointments ended with the March 2009 decision by the minister not to reappoint COSEWIC's nominee for co-chair of the Amphibians and Reptiles Species Specialist Subcommittee. As a consequence, the minister has reduced COSEWIC's capacity to assess the status of amphibians in Canada, one of the world's most threatened group of vertebrates.
In your opinion, what is the impact of this decision by the minister to reduce COSEWIC's capacity? What is the impact on the amphibians in Canada, one of the world's most threatened group of vertebrates? What has the real impact been?