Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, gentlemen. I'm pleased to meet you, especially since we're discussing a subject of the greatest interest to me, renewable energy.
You've told us about the various classes of renewable energy. What reassures me, in a certain way, is the public opinion poll that was outlined to us in the solar energy document. That reassures me about citizen perceptions. I believe we should follow its example. In particular, it refers to solar energy, wind energy and hydroelectricity, and states that 92 per cent of people accept solar energy, 90 per cent accept wind energy and 82 per cent accept hydroelectricity. Those are the three classes people turn to first of all and where they find "renewable" energy in the real sense of that word. You also told us about renewable fuels. I'm a bit more reluctant when I hear about ethanol, however. You seem to say that the government should normally make efforts of that size with renewable.
Of course, the government no doubt has a promising plan that we'll be able to see at some point and to assess its merits. For my part, I would focus my efforts on solar and wind energy.
Can you tell us what kind of actual incentives there are in the research and development and program sectors? These energies permit more innovation than others. What kind of research is being done on renewable fuels in the transportation industry, since transportation is the main sector responsible for climate change, and what are the programs in that area?
I'm a neophyte, but I feel the solution lies in electrical energy accumulators, for example, regardless of how that energy is produced. Electricity could even play a greater role in transportation.
What orientations are there in that area? I don't want you to immediately tell me about a plan. Governments come and go, but senior public servants remain and have influence. So I'd like to know where we're headed.
We've come a long way. When we started talking about wind energy, I sometimes got the impression that the Liberal government at the time didn't know whether the wind turned the blades or the blades produced the wind. Matters have settled down since then, and increasingly large investments are being made. As you know, however, the Bloc advocates a doubling of investment in wind energy and perhaps in solar energy as well.
I'd like you to tell us about the government's orientations. I'd also like to hear the comments of the representatives of the wind and solar energy industries.