Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I will ask my questions in French.
Thank you for coming to meet with us. Your testimony is very important to our study.
In Canada, we are very proud of our energy system. Our country is a global leader and one of the best producers. In addition, we consume a lot of energy. As Canadians, we should really be proud of this system.
The committee is looking into the potential creation of a national centre. You said that this may not be necessary. You talked about independence. On the other hand, some witnesses have told us that it should have been done many years ago—30 or 50 years.
We are talking about a centre, and I think the government can probably choose one of the following three options. First, it could dedicate significant funds to the creation of a national centre, like the United States did. That country invested US$127 million, or about CA$150 million. So the government could invest in a centre.
Second, we could maintain the status quo. That is what all the other governments have done over the past 50 years. Neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals have created a national centre.
Third, we could invest a bit of money in some departments.
Do you think that, if the federal government invested funds in data collection, the private sector would benefit? Would the private sector save money that way?