Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Minister, you mentioned in your opening remarks that you reached an agreement last year with the provinces and territories on a Canada-wide strategy for managing waste water, and that shortly the draft federal regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette, part I, as a federal commitment to implementing the strategy.
Municipal waste water treatment has always been managed by the provinces, and we hear concerns in some parts of the country about the cost of upgrading the infrastructure, particularly in these difficult economic times. In fact, I understand that Newfoundland, Nunavut, and Quebec did not sign this agreement.
Could you please explain for us why you feel it is still important for the federal government to regulate waste water and what you're doing to ensure that this does not bankrupt the country?