I would like to say, Mr. Chair, that is the first time I hear the department disagreeing with the facts contained in the report. That greatly concerns me.
As was noted in our report, programs were established to monitor the cumulative impact of development. Some were established in 1998, and others expired in large part because of a lack of funds. Since that time, as we indicated, for example, Environment Canada was working to implement new management frameworks, but they were not yet in place. We also pointed out, as was the case in the departments' notes, that the funding was rather ad hoc and unstable. Today, despite the fact that funds were allocated as part of the latest budget, we maintain that they did not meet their commitments and obligations to monitor the cumulative impact in the north.