Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague from Mississauga South for reminding us about the importance of the acid rain treaty signed by a previous Conservative government 21 years ago, which has led to a significant reduction in illnesses like chronic bronchitis and asthma. Due in part to the acid rain treaty, but also to other measures, Canada has relatively clean air, compared with many countries in the world.
Despite the progress, though, as my colleague has reminded us, a significant portion of the Canadian population still lives in areas where they are affected by a variety of pollutants. This does have an implication for the health of Canadians. However, this government plans to address that challenge.