We've played a fairly substantial role, some of it in the background. Staff from my section were first contacted by science advisers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the morning of April 21, so the day after the incident. For the past few weeks, we've been in discussions with scientific advisers from NOAA, from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Coast Guard, and we've been providing information on the fate and behaviour of the oil that spilled. Environment Canada has analyzed forensically a number of Gulf of Mexico oils over the past number of years through collaborations with U.S. Minerals Management Service, part of the Department of the Interior. We've also measured the effectiveness of chemical dispersants on those oils, so we provided some of that information. We also discussed the appropriateness of some of the countermeasures that could be used, especially in situ burning efficiency and the air emissions. Canada has a lot of experience in this from the Newfoundland offshore burn experiments that I mentioned earlier.
We also have had an inquiry whether our oil spill lab can do some analysis of oil samples in the future, if need be. Environment Canada sent seven staff from the marine aerial reconnaissance team--MART. These are people with the Canadian Ice Service, in partnership with Transport Canada's national aerial surveillance program--NASP. These specialists are able to observe and visually detect and validate marine oil so that cleanup and enforcement activities can take place.