Environment committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to start by saying how I came to be here today. The executive director from the CCME secretariat in Winnipeg was asked to present today and tell you folks about the water management committee. Unfortunately, he's meeting today with deputy ministers i

Environment committee  Yes, as well as the federal minister. It includes all the environment ministers across Canada.

Environment committee  Yes, that's correct.

Environment committee  The Government of Canada could, for example, make available scientists who would sit on the committee. Under the water management committee of CCME, when we have a project to do, we put together a project team. That particular item was carried out by a project team of those who a

Environment committee  I have been associated with the CCME water work for approximately the last 13 years. The knowledge I have about when it started is that it would have been around 1987, I believe, in the first round of what we call the CCME binders, the two-volume binders that were printed and sol

Environment committee  Yes.

Environment committee  In terms of the CCME water management committee, we don't analyze waters across Canada. We don't do that, but we develop the tools that folks can use. The water quality index is used in the annual report. It is used through the Canada Water Act. For New Brunswick, we do particip

Environment committee  I would have to think a little bit further on how to improve the Canada Water Act. I would have to reflect on that a little bit, but I would say that currently the act does allow for this cooperative approach. My read of the Canada Water Act is that it actually pushes and promote

Environment committee  Absolutely, yes. We brainstorm through the year about what the national priorities are and what projects we can work on. For example, oil sands development, fracking, or some specific type of mining are all issues that perhaps need something developed. For example, we have looked

Environment committee  I'm not really the person to have that discussion with. I can sort of give you generalities. Right now there's even debate as to whether the word “moratorium” is appropriate. But certainly there's a thought that we need to reflect on some items before this industry goes full stea

Environment committee  There is an association there, and there was some work going on there, but there's specific work to New Brunswick as well.

Environment committee  The only thing I can leave you with is from a science perspective, from an engineering perspective. Anything that we could develop at the water management committee that could be used by regulatory folks, we're happy to go into that discussion, put together the team, and actually

Environment committee  Right now the group that is dealing with flood and drought, climate change, and water security is scoping out what can be done in the future. I do know that flood and drought are key items that folks are interested in all across Canada. There is concern that things are going to

Environment committee  Not being the expert on that particular topic, I can just tell you what I know about how it started. It started approximately three to four years ago as an idea. I believe it came specifically from folks in Manitoba who, of course, are very concerned about nutrients. It was pro

Environment committee  I would really like to help on that. I guess what I would say is that this particular item is handled by a group of experts who deal with flood and drought. I can only give you the high level right now. There is a very nice document submitted to CCME and it will be on the web pag