The second thing needed is to empower and prepare Canadians to participate fully in the knowledge economy. We must remove barriers to education and skills, foster lifelong learning, build bridges between school and the workplace, and stimulate innovation. These are the core themes in our human resources strategy and in the last two federal budgets. And again, each is premised upon smart partnerships with and among Canadians. It's not by any means the only content we need, but it can be a priceless, national asset for all Canadians.
Climate change is truly a global issue.
Greenhouse gas emissions do not respect national boundaries, and their impact on the climate is gradual, creeping toward serious consequences almost imperceptibly over time. But we must take the appropriate action now to forestall those consequences. This was the essential message that was delivered to Canadians this past week by an eminent group of 25 recipients of the Order of Canada, who gathered together for several weeks of study and deliberation on the issue of climate change. They acknowledged the scientific and economic uncertainties surrounding the phenomenon of climate change, but as a matter of prudence and common sense, they called for mitigative action beginning right now. That is precisely what the Government of Canada is seeking to achieve.