Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have a couple of points. I think we have a huge opportunity here, especially with the creation of the Canada water agency.
There is no doubt that all is relevant when it comes to, in this case, the Great Lakes and other efforts, whether those be economic, environmental or social, but I guess the point I want to make is this. The appropriation made in that particular budget was for $45 million for five years. The expectation is that the appropriation times five—not two—would be flowed through to the GLFC, period. I'm not sure where the two to five years come in. You're working through it, and I get that, but ultimately the expectation is that the full appropriation of the $45 million will be flowed through from Treasury right to the GLFC.
The third point goes to Mr. O'Dea's point about the DFO's involvement. This is where I get a bit concerned or confused. I understand why you, DFO, want to satisfy yourself that you are involved on this file with respect to the Great Lakes. The point is that you are; you're the contractor. I guess it begs the question of why there is such an interest in having the money flow through DFO versus just through GAC. That's the confusion. I understand your interest when it comes to fisheries, because although you don't have it as part of your mandate—it's provincial—for the most part it's delegated to the GLFC when it comes to that invasive species or any invasive species, including sea lamprey.
My question is.... I will repeat myself, and I apologize for that. You have an interest in being a part of that—and you are, as the contractor—so why do you have an interest in having the flow-through from Treasury through DFO to GLFC, which then contracts back to you the practical part, as you put it, and then you invoice the GLFC for that contracting service and they pay you. From the $45 million that's appropriated to the GLFC over the course of time, they pay you for that service.
What is the interest there versus having it go from GAC to the GLFC? They would still contract you; they would still pay you, but the money would go through GAC versus through DFO. I don't understand the interest there.