Mr. Speaker, our government's sound economic planning is based on careful consideration of economic indicators like GDP and unemployment rates.
However these indicators alone are limited in their ability to assess our progress toward larger goals of environmental sustainability and health. That is why we strongly support the national round table on the environment and the economy and Statistics Canada in their development of environmental indicators.
The indicators will enable us to better establish a database to help us with our economic and environmental decisions.
As the finance minister has said, the existence of indicators compels decisions. These indicators will help us ensure that our children grow up in communities that offer clean air and water, are free of toxic chemicals and are open, natural spaces.