Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks, I have heard numerous testimonies from various individuals and groups while serving as the vice-chairman of the committee on the environment and sustainable development.
Following debate which was quite lively at times, it became apparent that the positions of the Bloc Quebecois and Liberal Party were irreconcilable. Opinions differed not on the wording or the terms and conditions, but rather on the very substance of the matter.
The report which the committee tabled yesterday calls for the appointment of a new authority, whereas we advocate the use of a structure that is already in place and has proven its worth.
In our view, it would be more appropriate to broaden the mandate of the Auditor General's Office and grant it the required resources to deal with environmental issues in a proper, thorough manner.
To all those who would loudly denounce this alternative as reactive and not in keeping with sustainable development, our answer would be that the proposed solution is nothing but an attempt to impress.
An appointed official has no business making policy. Our democratic system allows Canadians and Quebecers to elect representatives to govern the country and lead it ably on the path to sustainable development. It would be too easy to have an additional authority, a whipping boy, which would be made responsible for all decisions.
In this instance, the mandate of the commissioner of the environment will in many ways overlap the mandates of other authorities, notably the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, certain Green Plan programs and even Environment Canada.
We are not opposed to virtue and we acknowledge the importance of protecting the environment in any way possible. However, we felt the honest thing to do was to criticize this proposed new position which would merely provide another way out for a government unwilling to carry out the responsibilities entrusted to it by its citizens.