Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  Yes, and I think our provincial and federal governments can come to an understanding on whether, for example, the Quebec environmental assessment system, le BAPE, which is considered to be one of the strongest in the country, can cover off assessments of mining projects.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  The Auditor General, in her 2008 review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, concluded that the government was not able to demonstrate that the screening level was reviewed and had provided Canadians with any environmental benefit. That was largely the impetus behind the changes to clear out those lower-level screenings that take up a lot of time but don't actually protect the environment.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  The problem is, I am not quite sure I understand the question. We did participate in the standing committee's review of the act.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  We have participated and made our views known with respect to CEAA for as long as I can remember—for as long as I have been working at the Mining Association of Canada.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  You asked me that already, and I said yes. With the replacement, I think this is a better bill.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  It's not so. If you read our January briefing, we actually—

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  Yes, and our brief also actually then recommended that the government go further and bring forward the concept of equivalency. We very explicitly called for equivalency in our brief, which is why we're pleased to see it.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  I apologize, but I suggest you read our brief. We actually explicitly called for—

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  We actually explicitly called for equivalency, and we've been advocating equivalency for several years now.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  We have serious doubts that it would ever apply to a mine. We fully expect every mine to be subject to an environmental assessment. Whether it's substituted to a provincial government or not, it will be reviewed. We fully expect that and accept it as part of our responsibility.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  It can vary. There are a number of provincial water quality standards, for example, that are more stringent than the federal. But I think in this particular case you're talking about environmental assessments, so let's look at this. The notion of equivalency, which we had recommended—

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  That funding is necessary to carry out environmental assessments of our projects and to do them well. It is our understanding that the funding has been renewed.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  With the additional amendments to CEAA that have...?

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  No, I guess.

Subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Finance on Bill C-38 committee  What consultations...? We certainly did what we could to present our views at every opportunity we had.