Thank you, Madam Chair.
The participant funding program in this act, strangely, as currently drafted, unlike the impact assessment act, only provides for the potential for participant funding. It doesn't require participant funding. I think it's inconsistent. Obviously it's inconsistent with the impact assessment process. Why would the same government say participant funding is important if you're doing an impact assessment but not important if you're proceeding under the Canadian energy regulator? The participant funding program is a toe in the water in section 75, in that, “the Regulator may establish a participant funding program”.
My amendment would ensure that it was not discretionary but mandatory, as it should be. Thank you.