Environment committee  I think the members would agree that having some kind of flexibility of that nature, on a domestic basis, could be something that would be looked at. I don't think there is any appetite for purchasing international credits that may or may not have any impact on actual environmental goals.

Environment committee  If I can go back to your first question, which I have been mulling over, on this whole question of making policy choices on sources of energy, etc., and linking it to Mr. Bigras' question about decentralization and the interests of provinces and territories, I think there is more virtue to having some kind of a national strategy that thinks about, for example, our energy sources.

Environment committee  I can't really comment on how effective that program was, Mr. Cullen. I think there is a need, though, when we are looking at any sensible plan, to make sure that the consumer understands what their contribution to this plan can and should be.

Environment committee  I have no statistics before me to tell me whether it really made people throw out their refrigerator and buy a new one, or what the actual impact of that was.

Environment committee  No. I think the difficulty there, on the consuming side, be it small business consumption or individual consumers who are heating their homes and driving their cars, is the issue that was raised by several people. We all may really want to make a difference by getting an energy efficient fridge, but we use our fridge for 15 years because that's what we can afford.

Environment committee  Not at all, Mr. Bigras. Of course, there has been a lot of progress. I can quote many examples. Let's think of the major challenges. Carbon capture and storage or hybrid vehicles are two things which will have an extraordinary impact on the world situation, and not only in Canada.

Environment committee  Yes. Let's be clear, Mr. Bigras. Of course, adaptation is only one aspect of the action plan. There is no doubt that there must also be an action plan to reduce emissions. As I underscored in my presentation, the plan must set short-, medium- and long-term objectives. I completely agree with Mr.

Environment committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm very pleased to present the views of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to this committee on Bill C-288. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has 170,000 members, including local chambers of commerce, SME's, and large companies representing all sectors of the Canadian economy in all regions of the country.

Finance committee  Let me say that I do not clearly understand your question. I think that our position is very clear. It is contrary to yours. I do not know what else I can say.

Finance committee  Obviously, the employment insurance program is very important for all employers and employees across the country. However, our members feel that it should be strictly an insurance program. It is perhaps appropriate to use support programs for certain industries, but that could perhaps be done through other funds that members of Parliament might want to designate for that purpose.

Finance committee  I'd only say, Mr. Chair, absolutely. Fair is fair, and we would be supportive of that recommendation.

Finance committee  I thank you, Sharon, for jumping to our defence. Absolutely, it was indicated on page 10 of our brief that an efficient and accessible health care system is absolutely a component of any productivity agenda. We would certainly say and we know that on a per capita basis Canada has quite a high expenditure on health care.

Finance committee  May I ask my colleague, Michael Murphy, to address that one, please?

Finance committee  I'm not an expert on curriculum. I think I need to go to Gilles Patry about what they do in business schools these days. Obviously, those are the kinds of initiatives where we need to put practical experience in the hands of students.

Finance committee  Absolutely, I do. And I think if you take a broader view and look around the world, you see Canadians in other businesses, which may or may not be Canadian, and you see Canadian businesses in other countries being very competitive. You put your finger on it; you have to understand the intense nature of the competition now.