Environment committee  You're speaking of new substances?

Environment committee  I'm not up on TOSCA, in respect of the confidentiality issue. I think we need to look at business confidentiality and balance it with the public good—health, safety, and the transparency around public health and safety data. We need to be able to get this information from other countries.

Environment committee  The deadline was September 14, and I think the problem still is that we're waiting for their real announcement about what they're going to do. We don't think there is resistance to Environment Canada or Health Canada's prioritizing substances. They have let us know in consultations that they do have a sense of which out of the 4,000 they want to tackle first, and that they do have plans to work on these substances as quickly as possible.

Environment committee  Thanks for your question. We think it can be done, that the rigour of the process can be maintained within the timelines we've suggested. Some of the delays are not because of the inability to do a proper science review or to gather information in a timely way or to have an adequate peer review, but they are, for instance, because of the fact that this needs to go to cabinet and it sits on a desk there because there are no timelines to make it come back on time.

Environment committee  Sorry, I'm still not clear on that question.

Environment committee  As you've said, resources are important. Some of the things Mr. Teeter said about looking into management while we're looking to assessment will help to expedite things, as well as concrete timelines on industry submitting data so we have the tools in place.

Environment committee  Thanks again for the opportunity to present at committee. Hugh Benevides couldn't make it, unfortunately, so I'll be presenting. Aaron, who is now the policy director at Environmental Defence, will be here for questions as well. You should have with you three unstapled handouts in French and English of PollutionWatch slides.