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Notes for remarks

by

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment

2005 Technical Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Environmental Auditing Association (Toronto)
“Monitoring Environmental Success”

Novotel Hotel, Toronto
Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Hello everyone and thank you. As much as I would like to be with you in person, I’m pleased that technology allows me to send along my greetings.

Congratulations on another great year.

As the new Minister of the Environment, it gives me great pleasure to address a group whose work is so clearly vital to our progress. As you are all aware, our government is committed to the very principles that you are discussing today …environmental health, safety and sustainability are at the very heart of my mandate.

We all know that Ontario’s greatest strength is its people. We must do everything we can to preserve our world for our people – and that means good air and clean water for generations to come.

The McGuinty government is working proactively to lay the foundations for a healthy and prosperous future for all Ontarians.

I believe that our success will depend on three factors.

First, we need strong environmental standards. We must continue to set the bar high.

Second, we need to be open and accountable in everything we do. This is what the people of this great province deserve.

Third, we must think progressively, always ready to take on new challenges.

Through your work, each of you plays an important role in helping us achieve these goals.

Ultimately, your work validates ours. The discipline of environmental auditing gives the public confidence that our laws are being enforced, our health is protected and we can look forward to a safe and sustainable future.

And it tells us what works and what does not.

We continue to use reports provided by the Auditor General – and of others, including Gord Miller, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario – to refine our policies, programs and operations.

And similarly, across the province, Ontario companies also recognize the importance of auditing to meet their environmental obligations, including new and tougher regulations.

I’m proud to say that last month I announced tough, new standards for 40 harmful airborne pollutants – including carcinogens and other toxins – that threaten the health of Ontarians every day.

For the industries and companies affected by those new standards, environmental auditing allows them to monitor their success in developing new, cleaner, greener practices.

I applaud the Canadian Environmental Association and each of you for helping us all become more environmentally conscientious. The world – and this province – can only benefit.

Thank you.

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