Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for being here today.
My understanding is that in July the Government of Ontario announced new air quality standards across the province, but those standards don't apply equally to everyone, and eight companies were given exemptions from those standards, some of which last as long as a decade.
I wonder if you could walk us through, on the first hand, the several exemptions that the operation in Sudbury was provided. I understand that one of those exemptions allows it to emit 25 times more nickel than the provincial standard. Could you walk us through the exemptions that your operation is allowed?
Also, I wonder if you could comment on what you would say, then, in response to environmental groups or other advocates who would make the claim that allowing exemptions to these standards is uneven and potentially unfair, and also, whether or not it removes the incentive for companies such as Vale for meeting those tough new standards, and how you would rationalize that.