Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I'd like to thank the minister and officials for being here today to answer questions on the main and supplementary estimates.
There are few issues I hear about that generate as much concern as the continued high level of logging of old-growth forests in B.C. by our NDP provincial government. This is very frustrating, because we know how cherished these irreplaceable ecosystems are. As a result, we're seeing major protests right across the province.
The main estimates and supplementary estimates (C) include an increase of almost $27 million for the B.C. old growth nature fund. My question for the minister is, what's holding up the launch of the old growth fund, and what is the Government of Canada prepared to do to protect some of our last intact old-growth forests?