Thank you both so much for your presentations.
Dr. Howard, I think what you've just put into words is exactly what I've been saying at this committee: that while there's a commitment to honour what was signed on to in Paris and to look at the way we can improve climate change for all Canadians, ultimately the TPP threatens that.
We've had Jacqueline Wilson here. She's an environmental lawyer. She's broken down the chapters in the TPP and, ironically, in the original version of the TPP, there was actually climate change action that was included in the text. We see in the final text that it's all been eliminated and that the language is extremely weak in the environmental chapter.
I share your concerns that we won't be able to implement anything because there isn't an ability to do so in signing the TPP. Because you're coming to us from the Northwest Territories, I would like to hear more about the impact on the ability of your communities to not be able to legislate to protect your environment.
Certainly public health is included in that as well, but you're speaking to us about the environment today and the concerns around the ISDS which, by the way, nearly every Canadian shares. When you talk to average Canadians, one of the main things that they point out is the ISDS provision and their deep concern that it will tie all of our hands as legislators.
Can you speak to the impacts in the Northwest Territories on your communities if you will not be able to legislate in that way because you'll be under threat of being sued?