Thank you, Chair.
Thanks to the witnesses for making time to share knowledge and perspective. It's greatly appreciated.
I want to just connect to something that professors Kucharski and Wark mentioned about the ICA guidelines for a national security review. I'm happy to share that the guidelines were updated in March 2021. The new updates take into account the potential for the impact of investments in and divestments of critical minerals. The changes also address concerns related to investments involving sensitive technology areas in critical minerals and also investments by state-owned and even state-influenced investors.
The departmental review that was, in fact, conducted on the transaction had the benefit of these updates and changes. In that context, the national security review was not triggered. I think that's important to point out.
I will say that all members of this committee want Canada to make the most of our critical minerals, including by having a strong presence in the transition to a green economy and the role that batteries are going to have in that transition. That is, of course, why we're anxious to get to our critical minerals study, which will then inform the critical minerals strategy. We're all in a rush to get there. That study is waiting in the wings.
I will go to lithium now, if I may.
Professor Kucharski, I would like to ask you to address two questions. I'll say that lithium is a specialty mineral that's tied to and tailored very specifically to the needs of consumers. It's different from a flexible commodity, like iron ore, for example, that could take on so many different forms. Lithium hydroxide, as opposed to lithium carbonate or lithium brine, is the preferred form of lithium for electric vehicles. A case in point is that Tesla is currently building a lithium hydroxide refinery in Texas, adjacent to its battery factory. It will supply that exclusively with hard rock lithium.
First, do all lithium sources or types have the same strategic value to Canada? Second, the way you look at this, is there any lever that, had the sale not occurred, Canada could have controlled such that these Argentinian miners mining lithium in Argentina would be forced to sell that in Canada?
Thank you.