Environment committee  I think it's fair to say that each project is different. When we provide the environmental impact statement guidelines to proponents, we work with them over the course of the time it will take for them to come back with their environmental impact statement so that issues that com

Environment committee  Thank you very much. Our funding does show an increase of $14 million for next year, and that's because a lot of the funding we have is sunset funding that was renewed in budget 2012. Of that funding, $6.6 million is devoted to aboriginal consultation. That includes funding for

Environment committee  I have to tell you that, personally, I think our resources across the government could be better used in looking at the projects that may have significant adverse environmental impact, rather than at looking at projects such as the expansion of a maple syrup operation.

Environment committee  The point Yves was making is that there has to be some work to look at the projects with the potential to cause an adverse environmental impact, and then to use them as the basis for drawing up the list—which would clearly have to be subject to consultation.

Environment committee  To my knowledge, that's the first time there was such a request.

Environment committee  I'm not aware of any instance in which we've delegated the responsibility--

Environment committee  --for aboriginal consultations to anyone who can't act for the crown. The National Energy Board and the CNSC can carry out aboriginal consultations—and, indeed, I believe received funding recently in order to enable them to do so--as well as public consultations.

Environment committee  In many jurisdictions it's the reverse. They have a list of the types of projects that require assessment. On that list are the larger, more important projects, and if you're not on the list then you're not subject to an assessment.

Environment committee  Yes.

Environment committee  Well, I think there are instances where resources could be put to better work looking at projects that are more likely to have an adverse environmental impact than small projects, where it's been shown that the vast majority are unlikely to have such an impact.

Environment committee  Yes.

Environment committee  I think the issue is that the act doesn't have any provisions that allow us to do that. If the act were to be changed to give CEAA that authority, then we would exercise it.

Environment committee  We rely on the responsible authorities. That's the short answer. The reason they're the responsible authorities is that they're issuing the necessary authorization, which may or may not have conditions attached to it. We rely on them to ensure that the conditions are met.

Environment committee  We don't rely on acts. We rely on--

Environment committee  As I said earlier, the requirement for a federal EA is triggered when another federal department has to issue an authorization. So that could be under the Navigable Waters Protection Act or under the Fisheries Act. So any conditions that are set are in relation to the acts of oth