Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to see you. I missed the beginning of the meeting as I was meeting with the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. I realize that the issues I wish to address overlap and that the comments are the same.
Mr. Couture, you spoke about the manufacturing sector being the heart of our economy. We are definitely in the grips of an unprecedented crisis and that certainly affects the engineering profession. At the very least, it is about know-how. And when we meet with people from the academic community, we gain a better understanding.
We have already discussed, Mr. Couture, the need to provide tax support for research and development and innovation in the form of refundable tax credits, loans and loan guarantees to encourage investment. As Mr. Turk said earlier, one thing is certain: the results of research are not necessarily immediate. We have to promote investment, at least in research.
Mr. Couture, tell us a little about how the Réseau des ingénieurs du Québec intends to weather the crisis in the manufacturing sector, particularly with respect to research, development and innovation.