Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to follow up on this issue of the safety net and the issue raised by Mr. Scarpaleggia. I'm aware that section 38 provides very clearly that action is to be taken regardless of the fact that we may not have “full scientific certainty”. We recently witnessed what happened with the tiny cryptanthe, and I am pleased to say I've been involved in the field work on that. It's a tragedy that we haven't protected it. We've seen this also with the woodland caribou. I am wondering if you could comment on whether there is a greater priority on maintaining friendly federal-provincial relations than there is on actually exercising the power of the safety net.
The act also says that the government must, to the extent possible, consult the provinces, but it is not bound to follow what the provinces recommend.