I would like to call meeting number 67 of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development to order. We welcome our witnesses today, Mr. Bob McLean and Mr. Rob Prosper from the environment department and Parks Canada.
I just want to take one minute to remind the committee of the scope of the study we're embarking on today on habitat conservation. These are the questions that had been posed earlier: What types of stakeholders are involved in habitat conservation, and how much does this account for total efforts in Canada? Does Canada have publicly available knowledge and expertise on habitat conservation? What are the sources of this information, and how is it disseminated? What are the most effective habitat conservation groups or organizations, and what actions do they take? How is “conserved land” defined and accounted for in Canada, and is that definition different from other countries'? When it comes to recovering a species, how do best management practices and stewardship initiatives compare to prescriptive government-mandated measures? Finally, how can the federal government improve habitat conservation efforts in Canada?
With those opening remarks to remind us of the scope of the study we're embarking on, I want to welcome Mr. Bob McLean. He has prepared opening statements and they're printed before you.
Thank you, Mr. McLean, for having them printed; that's very helpful. We welcome you now to give your opening remarks.