Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Minister, Deputy Minister, thank you very much for joining us today to speak to the mains. I do want to take this opportunity to thank you both, for your very excellent leadership of this important portfolio, as well as acknowledge the very capable officials in the department who support your work.
I want to talk a little bit about the major projects management office. Last year our committee was briefed on this initiative and learned that it is a horizontal partnership of 12 federal departments and agencies and that it was established in 2007 to improve the regulatory system for major resource projects. Also, we understood that it has resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency of the regulatory review process for major resource projects.
The main estimates show the funding for MPMO of $81 million over three years sunsetting. In your opening remarks, however, you noted that budget 2015 supports new investment in the MPMO. Is ensuring an effective, accountable, transparent, and timely review process still a priority for the Government of Canada, and can you expand on how this funding would contribute to that?