If I could respond, obviously we're putting forward changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act, a piece of transport legislation.
With respect to the environmental assessment, we're looking at using existing authorities and not making any changes to law. One of the things that have become very clear to me from my experience, both as environment minister and now in this position, is that we have established over many, many years a lot of laws and regulations to stop bad things from happening, but have very little to facilitate good things happening. I think of waste water treatment; I think of public transit. So I think there are many areas where there's going to have to continue to be a full federal environmental assessment, but if the provinces have already done one, I think we have to be more streamlined in that.
The NDP and Mr. Layton have long advocated for the gas tax as a way to fund infrastructure. When those gas tax moneys flow, there's no obligation for any federal environmental assessment with them. If we spend $1 under Building Canada, a full federal environmental assessment is required.
I think it's one in which we have done a lot of listening to municipal leaders. I listened to Premier Doer, I listened to Mayor Miller, I listened to all the premiers, and I think there was a broad spread of consensus that this was the best thing.
The changes proposed by regulation using existing authorities will be for two years to deal with this economic challenge. There are many projects that will require it; I think they should. When you look at the South Perimeter Road outside of Vancouver, there should be a full federal EA for doing a four-lane highway through a national park. There should be a federal EA.