Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank all the witnesses for joining us today.
I'll focus on the defence industrial strategy. Last week, I had the opportunity to join the Prime Minister at the opening of Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinie mine. I would call this a perfect example of how the strategy can benefit society, interactions with indigenous peoples and mining production.
Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinie mine began production last week. We've been working on the project for some time. It involves the Quebec government, the Canadian government and local communities. The mine is a socially acceptable project. The Manawan indigenous communities were actively involved in the early stages of the project.
As part of this project, a processing plant will be built in Bécancour. The Canadian government has set aside a strategic reserve of 30,000 tonnes of graphite for commercial or military applications that may be required in the future.
I find another aspect of the mine's opening absolutely fascinating. The Manawan region has been badly hit by softwood lumber tariffs. Yet it was encouraging to see young people from the softwood lumber industry heading to work for the future mine. These young people have well‑paid jobs. This also helps maintain the local vitality of the industry.
Ms. Exner‑Pirot, do you think that this project reflects the objectives of the defence industrial strategy?
Can you provide an example or two of projects that could get off the ground in the coming years?