Mr. Speaker, I tried to take as many notes as I could. I trust that if I am not able to answer all the issues the member opposite has raised, I can possibly do it at another time.
With respect to mens rea, going back to my legal training, this is not a criminal offence. Environmental legislation is not criminal legislation. Mens rea is a key element of criminal legislation. Environmental legislation is strict liability. We have to make the distinction between criminal code amendments and strict liability.
With respect to the concern that there is not an opportunity to review or vet regulations, let me make it absolutely clear that most recently with the new immigration and refugee protection act, draft regulations were tabled, reviewed by the committee and amendments were made. To say that members have no input to regulations is absolutely incorrect.
It was the same thing when we were discussing section 31 of the Copyright Act where we had to deal with the compulsory retransmission licence. Both the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Canadian Heritage have committed to allow legislation to be passed but not to make it effective until draft regulations are before the committee which we will in turn look at.
It is quite misleading to say that once legislation is passed, that this framework enabling legislation has to work and it all goes to the bureaucrats and members of parliament do not have any input. That is absolute nonsense.
With respect to the review, there is a five year review in the bill. I think the hon. member opposite is trying to draw a distinction between a sunset clause and the fact that this would expire at the end of five years as opposed to looking at the legislation itself to see how it will best work and when we will be in the process of negotiating stewardship agreements.
I remind members opposite that the bill provides for round table consultations after two years in order to look at the act. It is not devoid of consultation. It is wrong to say that we have not consulted. I believe that in the last three stages of the bill, 246 hours have been dedicated to discussing the species at risk legislation.