Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Minister.
My name is Hélène LeBlanc and my father is an Acadian from southwest Nova Scotia. I grew up in Quebec, but I know the Maritimes very well. I would like to take a closer look at this with you.
Given that your agency offers funding to various businesses in different regions, it is truly important to have criteria and an objective process. Unfortunately, we've just learned that about 20 internal auditing positions are to be eliminated in the regional development agencies across the country.
How will you be able to establish rigorous criteria to ensure that political considerations, so to speak, do not interfere in funding allocation and that priorities are properly set to truly help the Maritimes?