Thank you.
I'll begin in French.
The limits to the planet's resources and a predictable limit to world population will consequently require a limit on industrial production and a halt to the growth of the world economy. At the moment, no one knows how to create an economy that is sustainable and does not grow, but we absolutely have to buckle down to that task and dedicate ourselves to a new way of thinking. As we describe in our brief, we have to adopt a new paradigm.
I will continue in English.
This call for new thinking and a new paradigm, which is in the written brief, has led to the following, much abbreviated recommendations:
Enhance mechanisms whereby government and members of Parliament can dialogue with independent scientists. You've heard that from Scott Langen and Ian Rutherford.
Act on reports of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Do not ignore them.
Set up a council to study the paths to a sustainable civilization. That's very important.
Become informed or educated in the concept of an ecological footprint. I welcome questions on that. There's a useful reference in our written brief.
Recognize climate change as a world emergency.
Limit water usage in any district to the amount that is replaced by precipitation.
Initiate plans to halt the ecological ruin of the province of Alberta or of any other threatened area.
Prevent inappropriate ethanol production. A very useful reference in our brief will explain what is inappropriate.
Set in motion a comprehensive study for the development of a new electrified railway system for Canada with extension to all North America to be encouraged.
Oversee nanotechnology to prevent pollution and the effects of ill health and set up the necessary lab facilities to achieve this.
Label genetically modified foods.
Make strong efforts to prevent poor technological choices. This is very much a thing for Industry Canada.
Reduce and eliminate subsidies to sunset industries, and start to reverse the trend toward commercializing universities.
We welcome questions on all these recommendations.
Thank you. Merci, monsieur.