Environment committee  There could be a delay in when the reductions will happen, but they will happen.

Environment committee  Yes, we can stay.

Environment committee  The economic analysis has been done by Environment Canada. Nobody got more information than the backgrounder that I was referring to earlier, which was made available to all of you the day of the announcement.

Environment committee  We are estimating that with the improvement that would be generated by the targets we are putting on the table for air pollution, we would have an air quality improvement benefit estimated at $6 billion annually, and there would be reduced occurrences of illnesses across the country.

Environment committee  The major pollutants of concern have plateaued over the last few years with the different actions by the different provinces across the country. So what we are doing with the plan is reducing them.

Environment committee  The 20% is the economy overall. It's not only the industrial sectors. So what we are putting on the table with the different actions that are taking place, the initiatives as well as the regulatory framework--the sum of all that--is leading to the 20% reduction. Do you want to add to that, Alex?

Environment committee  This is correct. The stringency of the emission intensity target is the key to being able to bring the emissions down. It's not so much the cap. It is the 18% that makes the big difference, after the continuous improvement of 2%.

Environment committee  The previous plan of 2005 was based on intensity—

Environment committee  The answer is yes.

Environment committee  Because it's a choice that the industry has, if the industry chooses to pay into the tech fund, the tech fund will be liable to find projects that will have absolute reduction. It is a tech fund—

Environment committee  Yes. It is a technology fund within a regulatory system, so we will have to make sure that the projects will yield reductions.

Environment committee  Following the consultations that took place, between the notice of intent and the decision that was announced on April 26, different representations took place. That's when the government made this decision to accept some of the CDM credits within its regulatory system.

Environment committee  With the work we have undertaken to benchmark air pollutants, that is the information we have collected, that we are the first in the world to go ahead with regulations that would cover air pollutants as well as GHGs for so many sectors at the same time.

Environment committee  The decision was to be able to demonstrate real action and have a very consolidated base of information. For 1990, we have no consolidated base of information for the sectors to be regulated.

Environment committee  The farthest one we have is 2004. This government has made a very informed decision in going ahead with 2006 to make sure it can report to Canadians on actions taken to date and in the years to come, and not go back to the past.