Environment committee  I really do appreciate this report...challenging government to take climate change as a high priority, which we do. On the issue of air quality, when would we be looking for a report on that?

Environment committee  We're hoping this review will flesh that out. There are a number of programs now in place within the government that look at climate change. What we're talking about is trying to encourage the government to do something at the top, at the government-wide level, that would permit a reasonable coordination of programs now in place and a reasonable orientation towards achieving specific goals.

Environment committee  I'm very disturbed about the accountability or lack of accountability measures that exist. In order to consider the consequences-- we'll stay with climate change for a moment--of continuing to make mistakes in terms of Canada's record, the implications for a region like mine, northwestern British Columbia, and any low-lying area, the far north, our country in general as a northern region, are significant and serious.

Environment committee  If this has so many implications, as you say, in terms of protecting Canada's environment, whether it's climate change or other issues, I don't think it's proper for us to allow the Privy Council to simply decide to keep it in-house.

Environment committee  The conclusion that the government has, in your words, provided a major disappointment with respect to looking down the road for our environment seems to me to encapsulate the very problem we're dealing with right now in climate change: that this, by its nature, is an issue that requires the government to look down the road, to plan ahead, and to apply a green filter in front of the programs, the policies, and the spending that government does.

Environment committee  One other option would be to tell the commissioner he has an hour and a half, and in the last half hour we deal with future business and make some decisions as to Thursday and the following week. I have to advise the committee that I am going to a climate change conference in London from the 27th to the 29th--just to let you know there are no games being played. I have agreed to represent Canada at that meeting.

Environment committee  If this is the choice that the Liberals and Conservatives are making—I recall this from when we dealt with Canada's Clean Air and Climate Change Act—it's duly noted and remembered for times when folks are looking for assistance in their efforts.

Environment committee  Those are some of the things that I was hoping we were going to talk about, positive things that are solutions to deal with the issue of pollution, climate change, and the environment--that we can provide clean drinking water, that we will reduce the--

Environment committee  Specifically on the point of biodiversity, it's widely understood that the climate change that is under way is so rapid that many species simply won't be able to adapt or move in time to survive. A paper was published in the journal Nature in 2004 that stated: “we predict, on the basis of mid-range climate-warming scenarios for 2050, that 15–37% of species in our sample of regions and taxa will be 'committed to extinction'.”

Environment committee  As a matter of fact, I believe she admitted, when she was before another committee, in an exchange with Senator Grant Mitchell, that there has never been a comprehensive audit or review of climate change programs. Why, then, would she cut programs like EnerGuide or the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network, which was doing valuable work in the area of how we can adapt to protect our freshwater resources from the effects of climate change, without really knowing if there was anything good in those programs?

Environment committee  We also hope that the government, particularly as regards the preamble that sets out a number of basic principles relating to climate change, will support Parliament, the international community, the vast majority of Quebeckers who are in favour of addressing climate change, and Canadians as well, the majority of whom are also supportive of this.

Environment committee  The aspects of Bill C-288, though, such as accountability and transparency that would accompany the filing of regular climate change plans before Parliament, are positive proposals we support, including the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and the process of developing climate change targets and timelines.

Environment committee  The timing difficulties related to making regulations are also complicated by subclause 5(5), by which the climate change plan tabled by the minister is referred to a committee of each house of Parliament for review. The practical consequence of that subclause 7(1) is that the committee review of the climate change plan would not change the regulation-making proposals, as the timelines to make the regulations are so very short.

Environment committee  I'll try asking the question through you to Mr. Rodriguez again. We are on clause 5. The title of clause 5 is “Climate Change Plan”, and there are a number of parts to clause 5. They have laid out their plan, and my question is again about this plan. What is the intent? Now, we heard very clearly from him and the people...Mr.

Environment committee  My understanding of the whole paragraph (a) is that it says that when you have a climate change plan, there should be a description of any measure the government may decide to take. It doesn't have to do all four. It doesn't even have to do the most recent thing that is being suggested by Mr.