Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Through you to the member opposite, I don't know why the independent commissioner would be a threat to any self-respecting minister doing his job following the act. That's all the commissioner is going to do. The commissioner has no powers beyond. So in what manner is this an affront to anyone? It simply is making sure that the process is being followed.
I believe you remember the committee where the testimony came forward that the request from outside bodies was for more involvement and engagement by the commissioner. We felt there shouldn't be that much weight or financial burden on him. So this is just truing the process, making sure it is what this law purports to do.
I appreciate your interest in it working better, but the environment commissioner is an officer of Parliament through the Auditor General and is there for exactly that purpose, to ensure that we abide by our processes. There are several others, the elections commission and so on. That's what Canadians want us to do, make sure that if we pass a law it's actually adhered to. And that's the role we're asking him to play.