Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is a pleasure to have you here today, and of course, we hope this meeting will benefit both parties.
Negotiations begun quite a while ago, but the main roadblock has been the naval industry. I heard you say earlier that your naval industry does not get any subsidies. And in your view, Canada could be granting some, directly or indirectly.
Let me take a very concrete example. In Quebec, in last October or November, the Norwegian company Teco Management tried to take over the Davie shipyard. To make this transaction, it needed financial support. The Quebec government granted a 50% guarantee on a $15.5 million loan, and wrote off $16.4 million on a debt obligation. This governmental measure helped a Norwegian company in the naval industry.
A free trade agreement sets rules, but this does not necessarily prevent private businesses from having operations in various areas, including the shipbuilding industry.
In your view, what are the factors that should be eliminated or mitigated in the shipbuilding industry in Quebec and Canada?