Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm going to try to be brief and get straight to the point.
I would like to draw your attention to section 7 of the bill we are reviewing today which aims to set greenhouse gas emission limits by province. In Canada we have a good range of varied industrial sectors. However in reality Canada's economic base is not the same from one ocean to the other and this is true even as regards the reduction of greenhouse gases.
I'll give you an example. The Quebec manufacturing sector, which forms our economic base, has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 24% since 1990. However, going by the federal approach, Quebec's manufacturing sector businesses will probably be placed on the same footing as the oil sector businesses. It seems to me thus that there is an inherent inequity in the system.
Would Quebec businesses not benefit from a common but differentiated approach domestically, just as the federal government is proposing on the international scene? Would that not be in their economic interest, in light of the fact that Quebec has made the commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20%? We know very well that the marginal effort will be more difficult in the manufacturing sector, which will force the government to set higher targets in the transportation sector. As Mr. Boag said, 40% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transport sector.
Basically, would you not agree that Quebec's good record and ambitions mean that consequently there is much less pressure on its industry than that exerted in the rest of Canada, on one condition, which is that there be targets set by province and not sectoral targets from sea to sea?