Mr. Chair, I thank the minister and Mr. Archibald for coming today.
I'll just ask two questions. I was going to ask one, but Mr. Harris brought up an important contrast between the government and the opposition in his last question. I think what we see from the government side is a focus on eliminating the deficit and on its being a priority.
Could you speak to the benefits, in terms of our long-term ability to fund science and technology research and innovation in Canada, if we can ensure that we balance our budget in the short term—over the next few years—and why it is so important?
Secondly, I want you, if you could, to focus on the STEM initiative that you talked about and maybe elaborate a little on it. I have a 12-year-old daughter turning 13 next week who definitely has a real interest and a real strength in science and math. I've often talked to her about the potential that she could be an engineer.
Could you speak to what you're doing in that regard to foster this among our young people?