Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. It's great to see you back at committee. I just want to say thank you for all the work you're doing on behalf of our producers across the country.
If you'll indulge me, I just want to opine quickly on some of the things I've heard, before I get into some of the questions.
Of course, some of the members of our committee have expressed that they are anxious to know when compensation might be forthcoming. I would encourage you to make sure you make that announcement to producers, not to us here on the committee.
Obviously, Mr. Perron talked about the fiscal year. The fiscal year goes all the way to March, and I know you'll be working hard, but we've promised to do this within the fiscal year, and I want to remind Mr. Perron of that.
The last thing I thought was very interesting about the last line of questioning is that we just tabled a report to you that was unanimously approved by all committee members. Ms. Rood and Mr. Steinley were both talking about increasing the sixty-forty federal-provincial cost-share, something the report recommended we keep. I found that a little bit interesting.
I want to move on to our questions.
The Kentville research station, in my riding of Kings—Hants, is extremely important. It is home to one of the best apple biodiversity collections in the world and provides great research. You had the chance to be there, I think, in 2019.
Can you speak to the importance of research centres and the innovation work to make sure that our producers have, basically, the top ability to provide products the world wants?