Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today.

I would also like to point out that this meeting is taking place on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation.

The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development has a critical role under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act in examining and reporting on the government's implementations of emissions reduction actions. We very much appreciate the commissioner's work and role in this important topic. We welcome the commissioner's team's constructive engagement with the Privy Council Office throughout the audit.

The Privy Council Office is working to continuously improve our approach towards meeting Canada's climate objectives, and the commissioner's work will help us do so.

The Canadian Net‑Zero Emissions Accountability Act calls for a periodic cycle of planning, analysis reporting and distribution of climate‑related information as part of Canada's efforts to meet its net‑zero goals.

This ensures ongoing improvement in our efforts to achieve Canada's climate goals and meet the requirements of the act. This first audit establishes a useful baseline and provides important information about the government's collective work in this area.

My team at the Privy Council Office, which I lead as the assistant secretary, supports cabinet consideration of climate and environmental policies. To better support that work, PCO created a climate secretariat in the spring of 2021. The secretariat supports cabinet consideration of climate policies. It also provides integrated analysis, advice and reporting to senior leadership and to the Prime Minister and his office, and supports interdepartmental coordination of the government's actions to address climate change.

One of the audit recommendations concerns the Privy Council Office, or PCO, and another concerns both PCO and Environment and Climate Change Canada. I'm pleased to report that we're on track to implement both recommendations.

The first of those recommendations asked PCO to work with other federal entities to review the authorities, responsibilities and leadership accountabilities relating to climate change mitigation. Based on its review, it should develop an action plan for changes needed to ensure that climate change mitigation is prioritized and should make the action plan publicly available.

In response to this recommendation, PCO supports the idea of a review to ensure that the authorities, responsibilities and leadership accountabilities remain as effective as possible. Areas and instruments that could be explored include mandate letters, cabinet committee structures and assignments, and the alignment of ministerial and departmental powers, duties and functions.

At this stage, PCO's machinery of government secretariat is undertaking a process of assessing existing legislative authorities that touch on climate change mitigation and is also examining existing decision-making processes.

The other recommendation concerns both PCO and Environment and Climate Change Canada. We're asked to make substantive information from the integrated climate lens analyses publicly available, as stated in the report.

Under ECCC's leadership and with PCO's support, cabinet has recently adopted a new directive that requires departments to apply a climate, nature and economy lens to policy proposals that they bring to cabinet or propose for funding. The lens aims to provide ministers with high-quality environmental information as well as economic analysis to support the government's decision-making.

Tackling climate change is a priority for the government. PCO has provided and continues to provide an important contribution towards this work. Our team brings officials together from across government to help find solutions to complex policy questions.

Thank you for your attention.

I look forward to answering your questions.