Thank you very much, Mr. Lemire, for your kind words. I also thank you for the question.
Investing in universities and, in particular, universities in the regions, is indeed a key element, because we are close to natural resources and we have a direct link to communities and businesses.
There is a reason why my university is ranked second in Canada this year in terms of research intensity performance. In recent years, we've often been first, because we can link business and the university to get research grants, which is really important.
It's difficult for very small and medium-sized companies to get funding for the research and development side of things, because it's sometimes complex and companies don't always see the added value. Yet we are able to double, and sometimes triple, the return on every dollar that these companies invest in research and development, in conjunction with universities, which is driving innovation and developing new technologies.
Investing in universities, whether through dedicated research funds or through resources tied to training, which will ensure that their performance is enhanced, will result in more people being trained. In doing so, there will be more people in the industry with the essential skills to take us to the next level. You may say I'm sold on the cause, but investing in universities is, in my opinion, a guarantee of our collective wealth as a society.