I will try to say this delicately, obviously. Municipal governments have a key role as enablers, facilitators, and implementers. There's no question that a range of national policy frameworks have been developed without the participation of municipal governments. We believe the development of frameworks like the one that's being proposed in this bill will be much more effective if you draw on the expertise and the networks that local governments can bring.
Not being explicitly included and explicitly involved doesn't mean that we still couldn't get there, but we believe this will be that much more efficient and effective if we are. I tend to believe that if municipalities aren't explicitly included, the natural tendency of federal-provincial negotiations would probably not include municipal governments simply because that's the way things are normally done. We understand why. We certainly respect provincial jurisdiction in these areas. That's the first principle of anything we do.
It's not a necessity, but we think it will make the end product better. It doesn't mean we couldn't get there. I think if we're not included, the status quo will likely continue. But our point is that, you know what, it's time for a change. One of these changes is the role that cities and communities play. A range of national objectives can lead this country more effectively to positive solutions.