Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here.
I just wanted to reflect on the last member of Parliament's question with respect to Line 5. We are on meeting number seven, and the six previous meetings of this committee have been dedicated to Line 5 and to studying it. In no way have we heard that this was not a very active file. At every level we are engaging with our American counterparts to prevent the closure of Line 5. I just wanted to reiterate the position of Canada and the federal government in that regard.
Minister, my riding of Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne is approximately 45 minutes from the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border. In fact, in 2015 the then mayor of Longueuil signed an agreement with the mayor of Plattsburgh to increase collaboration with respect to transport, which is a major industry in my riding, and aerospace. Aerospace is a huge industry in my riding. In the agglomeration of Longueuil, 80% of the businesses that export actually sell to the United States. The agreement and relationship between Quebec and the United States is incredibly intertwined. As you know, hydroelectricity is one of the main exports from Quebec to the United States, especially along the eastern seaboard.
Given the road map for renewed U.S. partnerships, the discussions about zero-emission vehicles, and conversations about clean electricity transmission, I wanted to give you an opportunity to reflect on some of the opportunities you see going forward for Canada and the United States in these areas of clean tech.