Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would also like to thank all of our witnesses for joining us today.
As I was saying earlier when the mics were off, I am really glad that you are here and that we're doing this study on the Great Lakes. I think it's critical. The Great Lakes are a vitally important source of drinking water for your cities. In fact, Canada should have a national water strategy, but unfortunately, that has yet to happen.
My first question is for the three of you, but perhaps a little more so for Mr. Ulrich given that he talked about this.
The Canada-Ontario Great Lakes water quality agreement expired in 2012. The government promised that the agreement would be renewed quickly. Unfortunately, we still have no agreement.
Were your cities consulted on their needs as part of the agreement? Does Ontario consult with you so you can make recommendations to the federal government?