Environment committee  I too think collaboration is absolutely essential. We have lots of examples when there have been years of collaboration between different levels of government, such as, for example, the marine planning partnership once again. There have been years and years of collaboration, and

Environment committee  Yes.

Environment committee  I echo Aran. It would be the scientists saying that these targets are necessary to sustain the ecosystems on which human and natural life depends. Oceans provide climate regulation, the oxygen we breath, food and food security. They are a source of wonder, culture, and spiritua

Environment committee  Yes, the science is incredibly important. There's no doubt about it whatsoever. What I was saying is that there has been a lot, a lot, a lot of science done in the marine field identifying important areas that are worthy of protection, and we can go fast by speeding up the design

Environment committee  Yes, it wasn't covered in the brief. You're right. The brief focused more on the Oceans Act marine protected areas. A national marine conservation area is a really important tool. As you know, the southern Strait of Georgia proposed NMCA is under way, and it could move more qui

Environment committee  I don't know if you actually need to put the numerical targets into the law. I think you need to put their conservation objectives into the law. I think you need to put timelines for completion of things into the law. I think we could do a better job of creating legislated proced

Environment committee  I think there are legislative changes that can speed up our progress. You have heard that the marine side lags far behind the terrestrial side, so I think it's more urgent to address legislative renewal for the marine side of our protected areas equation.

Environment committee  The written brief provides a lot of information on this topic. I think we can put conservation objectives directly into law. We can put the ecological overriding goal directly into law for the marine side of the equation. It is there in the Canada National Parks Act, but is not t

Environment committee  Thanks for the question. I think you've heard from other witnesses that the IUCN currently has a task force looking at these other effective area-based conservation measures, and it should be reporting soon. The Canadian Council on Ecological Areas has provided a lot of input in

Environment committee  The legal targets are binding. We are a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Aichi targets that you've heard so much about are a legal commitment. We also have commitments under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Article 192 requires all states “to pro

Environment committee  When Canada signs a treaty, it means it to have legal effect in Canada. The Oceans Act is one of our vehicles for translating international commitments into law in Canada.

Environment committee  Yes, that is correct, but even if the targets are not put into our legislation, the fact that we've committed to them in international treaties does make them binding on us.

Environment committee  I will indeed. I will finish up by saying that government can act quickly when the will is there. There are numerous examples of speedy parliamentary action on protected areas. We have listed some of those in the brief. Where there's a will, there's a way. Law can be a force for

Environment committee  Okay. MaPP received the transformative award at the Vancouver Aquarium's 21st Annual Coastal Ocean Awards dinner this past February. It's an example of indigenous reconciliation in the oceans as well, and we commend you for deciding to focus part of your study on indigenous me

Environment committee  Thank you very much. Thank you to all the members of the committee for running back and being back with us. I'm pleased to be here to speak with you today on this critical topic, and I commend the committee for tackling this issue. West Coast Environmental Law is an environmen