Environment committee  Thank you, Chair. The clean energy dialogue, as the minister indicated, takes three forms, or is divided into three parts, and really is an expression of a political commitment at the highest levels to pursue collaboration on clean energy. The logic behind it, as it relates to each of the groups, is that in order for any jurisdiction in the world to achieve its objectives on reducing greenhouse gases, it will be important to save energy and use energy more efficiently.

Environment committee  Mr. Chair, Mr. Ouellet is quite right. In looking at energy consumption by residential and commercial buildings, the federal government can in cooperation with the provinces and other parties, learn how to build buildings and create standards. With regard to jurisdiction, at present, we do not have the necessary legislative authority to create standards and regulations across the country, but it is absolutely essential to pursue that objective in cooperation with the provinces, in order to minimize energy losses in that area.

Environment committee  In the interests of time, Mr. Chairman, I wonder if while that is happening I could introduce my colleagues to the committee. With me today is Peter Sylvester, CEO of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. You've met before. Also here today is Alan Latourelle, who is the director general of the Parks Canada Agency.

Environment committee  I would say a couple of things in regard to carbon capture and storage. First, it is not a substitute for the responsible use of energy. It is not a substitute for the development of alternative sources of energy. It is a technological advance that looks to be promising with respect to the carbon management of fossil fuels.

Environment committee  Thank you, Chair. My guess is that my answer won't be entirely satisfactory. I accept Mr. Bigras's observation that the 2008 information that is found on the site is no longer valid. The considerations... I didn't say that, on the translation, but I think everyone understands.

Environment committee  Thank you, Chair. I will need, on some of those specific regulations, to check the status. I don't know, at the moment, the status of some of the ones the honourable member has raised. I would say that many regulations and enforcement plans that have been developed in association with those regulations indeed have moved forward.

Environment committee  It is in principle, Mr. Chair, conceivable to do that, because the point of trading, as Mr. McGuinty will know, is to calculate the emission reductions to which a credit or an allowance is applied. To the extent that an intensity-based system requires a different approach to calculating that, one would have to do a crosswalk between a system that is based on hard caps and one that's based on intensity.

Environment committee  Mr. Chairman, I understand the problem that the member has raised. I have no announcement to make today concerning a new timeframe. I would simply mention that in the intervening time there was an election, a prorogation of Parliament, and a very, very significant change in the economic environment facing the country and the world.

Environment committee  One of the things we have done, Chair, in respect of the current economic situation is to assess the impact on the regulatory framework of the substantial changes in the world oil price, for example, and what that could do to the carbon price over the life of the regulatory framework.

Environment committee  Thank you, Chair. The honourable member has put his finger on a challenge that we face in the department with respect to the development of a compliance and enforcement strategy for the wide range of things that are regulated. This is done on a risk management basis. But things do change.

Environment committee  Thank you, Chair. I could say a lot more if I had more time on the question, but I will answer with two examples. The first is the completion of the NinJo Workstation capacity, which will allow us to raise the level of technical analysis, and in collaboration with other jurisdictions.

Environment committee  I would first say that this issue is going to be with us for some time to come, and I would not be surprised if we see considerably more activity and work in the department and across government as we learn more and as the consequences of global warming become more identified and quantified.

Environment committee  Mr. Chair, I'll invite Alan Latourelle to take that question.

Environment committee  The commissioner did indeed point out deficiencies in the plans of a variety of government departments. However, Parliament has passed new legislation on sustainable development. Under the new legislation, all departments concerned are required to implement strategies, including timetables, targets, and mechanisms to monitor results.

Environment committee  I will answer that question in English. In our view, it would be overstating the judgment that nothing has been done in departments. Faults were found with the specificity and rigour with which commitments were set out. In our view, everything the Department of the Environment does is oriented to sustainable development.