Thank you, Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses for being here today.
What we're looking at here in this study, from what I can see, is the role of the federal government and how we can be a partner and support these initiatives.
One of the things we need to think about is a framework of best practices and—I hate to say it—a regulatory framework to ensure that if tax dollars are being used there is some sort of protection for that, but we're reluctant to build an administrative regime that defeats the purpose. We don't want to see that happen.
We need champions like you in doing this, and I see in partnering a great thing about our government is that we have always looked to let others set the priorities and then come along as a partner, but we do have to have that framework and that certainty concerning the finances because we are here to protect taxpayers' investments.
In saying that, I'd just like to hear from all three of our witnesses on how they see the federal government's role in doing all those things without getting in the way because it would be doomed if the government started getting in the way and being overly administrative in this initiative.