Environment committee  To follow up on that, there's no doubt that there needs to be coordination at all levels, including the federal government. Environment Canada is seen from our perspective to be the right lead. They have been extremely supportive of building collaboration at each of the provincia

Environment committee  It's formally being formed right now. The history is that there are 11 councils under development or in place across Canada, and there needs to be a government-to-non-government coordination nationally for information for an advisory side. The process that's been under way over t

Environment committee  There will be some further work in February around it, but some of the key areas are to better link and share information across jurisdictions, to avoid duplication and share data—whether Ontario's data can talk to B.C.'s data or how we can even share those has been a key area. A

Environment committee  There are a number of provincial ones that have been done at the different scales, particularly in the prairies. B.C. has just done one also, but nothing that pulls it together. The references you have here are some of the strongest ones, Canada-wide.

Environment committee  Two things. The broom-busting isn't linked to us at all. We have provided information around Scotch broom. Actually, the first thing we did was to try to get it stopped from being grown and planted with the horticultural industry in new areas of B.C. That was the first thing we g

Environment committee  It's broader in much of Canada, because people didn't even look for it before, and they got it confused with native species—there are some native, close-by species. There's a better knowledge of where it is in B.C.—it's been found in the Nelson area, for example, but it's been er

Environment committee  It was an exotic garden plant first found in B.C., first planted in the West Vancouver and North Vancouver areas, and it was still being traded by garden clubs two years ago.

Environment committee  Absolutely.

Environment committee  Yes, so that's exactly a pathway. Today it's not knowingly sold in garden stores. It's a 15-foot plant, and great big maple leaves this size. If you get the sap on your skin it can cause dermatitis, second-degree burns, hospital visits, and all that type of thing. It has a Work

Environment committee  Pesticides is an important tool in the toolbox, and we need it for specific plants in the right location.

Environment committee  Correct.

Environment committee  Okay. There are provincial connections. For example, there is a connection between B.C. and the Yukon, and there are connections that way between the government and territories. B.C. has helped set up the Yukon Invasive Species Council up there, so we're sharing information, and

Environment committee  Okay, I'll do it at a fairly high level. There actually is the formation of a national invasive species council in Canada. That is under way, and that's basically being triggered because there are councils in the provinces and territories. Generally the economic impacts, which

Environment committee  I can't say exactly what CFIA has included in their risk assessments. I don't know that. I think it is a factor when they look worldwide because risk assessments do look at worldwide trends. I would assume that this has come up, but it's not a factual answer.

Environment committee  I'm going to say that risk assessment is a science-based process.