Okay.
Madam Chair, please give me that extra few seconds.
Batteries are also making a tremendous change in energy storage, which will make clean tech—solar and wind-powered generation—more viable in the future, and not just in the future, even currently.
I know in the recent budget we did invest to create a critical battery minerals centre of excellence at Natural Resources Canada. We also provided funds for federal research and development to advance critical battery mineral processing and refining expertise.
Both Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement to strengthen the Canada-U.S. joint action plan on critical minerals collaboration. I want to know what is happening on that front from Canada's side. The United States Department of Commerce held a closed-door meeting about eight weeks back with the miners and battery manufacturers to discuss ways to boost the Canadian production of critical minerals. I think 17 of the 35 minerals identified as critical by the U.S. Department of Defense are mostly also related to critical minerals for battery development that can be supplied from Canada. The United States is looking for us to be a small part of the whole world supply chain.
I feel we should have a comprehensive strategy to develop everything—from minerals and metals to technologies and manufacturing facilities—here in Canada. I want to ask the Department of Industry and the Department of Natural Resources whether they have a comprehensive strategy to develop this sector, from minerals and metals to technologies and manufacturing companies, here in Canada.