Environment committee  Mr. d'Aquino, you talked about the policy of both this government and previous governments being in a state of chaos and you talked about how there was no overarching plan. You were calling for aggressive action on climate change, a national strategy. Is it that you just don't like the targets in this particular plan? I ask because it is exactly what you asked for: certainty for your business community.

Environment committee  I think the quote was that the government was suffering from a poverty of ambition on climate change--a very well-crafted line. I'd like to turn now to two other witnesses who are here with us. Ms. Rahbar, did I hear you say that the government, under its plan, will not meet 20% or 25% reductions by 2020?

Environment committee  I understand what you are getting at in your brief, but what does it actually mean? When the result of a climate change plan is to move the reference year from 1990 to 2005, to you really think that this is rewarding companies? I am thinking of the Quebec manufacturing industry, which has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 7% in absolute terms since 1990.

Environment committee  And for good reason, because it would be completely unfair at this stage to be saying that India, with the average Indian having one-twelfth the emissions, and having hundreds of millions of people in poverty who are not responsible for climate change—

Environment committee  I'm saying that every country must assume responsibility for its emissions. The Chinese must be part of the international approach to control climate change.

Environment committee  The question is whether we'll go with the science and try to avoid the worst impacts of climate change or not. If so, we will have to deal with the science, the timing, and the numbers there. It's a mission of getting there with the least cost and in the most economically optimal and favourable way, as opposed to saying, “Let's do intensity”, or “Let's set a few standards and let things fall out where they will until the developing countries come along”.

Environment committee  On my flight here today I was responding to cards from my constituents who were asking about climate change. There is frustration that's been there for a number of years as to why we do not just simply get on with it. That was on one card I'm thinking of--from a Conservative voter, no less.

Environment committee  Have any of you seen a study, a panel, an understanding within the federal government as to the impacts of climate change on our economy?

Environment committee  There is an unreleased study at the moment on climate change impacts and adaptation, and we're waiting anxiously to see that. My senior scientist, Dr. Quentin Chiotti, was the co-lead for the Ontario chapter of the assessment, so I have some notion of what might be in it.

Environment committee  We've been hearing about this report and the study since before the Bali meetings in Indonesia. I'm a bit confused. If climate change has been cited by many of the world's leading authorities and thinkers on the economy as one of the greatest threats.... Is this report just not finished? Is it a problem with what's happening?

Environment committee  The research in this case was conducted by Dr. Jaccard of Simon Fraser University, a climate change and energy expert. The research that was done was used by the current government and by the previous Liberal government. The modelling used fixes a carbon price. It does not call for setting a carbon tax, ceiling or exchange system, but for rolling everything into a shadow price.

Environment committee  If I had a choice between the Prime Minister saying we're going to have a Stern review or him saying we're actually going to get serious about tackling climate change by putting policies into place, I'd pick number two.

Environment committee  Okay. Does the foundation support the government's climate change plan?

Environment committee  Were you involved in helping to formulate the government's climate change plan?

Environment committee  Does Pollution Probe believe that the government's climate change plan is the art of the possible in today's world?