Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the minister for his first visit to our committee. Hopefully, it will be the first of many.
Over the last couple of years, we've seen the provincial NDP government in B.C. increase the pace at which old growth has been logged, in spite of an old growth strategic review that recommended immediate deferrals. This has led to widespread protests throughout the province. Recently, the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Committee issued a very dismal report card on progress on the strategy.
Your mandate letter includes the commitment to bring forward federal funding to protect old-growth forests, as well as to include a nature agreement with the province to protect some of the last intact old growth in B.C.
Could you please update this committee on the progress of concluding this agreement?