Mr. Speaker, on May 6, the governments of Canada and Quebec signed in Ottawa an administrative agreement to harmonize our respective regulations governing the pulp and paper industry as regards the environment.
This agreement eliminates administrative duplication and overlap and creates a single window for the industry, with combined annual savings totalling $1.6 million for the two governments.
This initiative gives concrete expression to our commitment to minimize duplication and overlap between governments and reflects constructive federalism.
Besides, in the environmental sector the federal government is presently working on several agreements with the provinces with a view to achieving more effective and co-ordinated management for the benefit of Canada's environment.