Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for being here.
I sit on the committee today as an acting member. Unfortunately, this is not the committee that I normally sit on, but I am very pleased to be here. Before I was elected, I worked as an engineer, so I have always had a soft spot for investments in science and technology. I am familiar with the subject. I use the term "investment" in science and technology, because I really do see it as an investment rather than as an cost.
When the government invests in a significant way, whether in pure research or in research and development, it creates jobs for researchers and attracts companies, allowing them, as a result, to increase their productivity and hire more employees. The bottom line is that the government collects more taxes and reduces its costs, on things like employment insurance, for example. When investments are made in this area, the return is greater in the long term.
Do you more or less agree with that philosophy?