Thank you, Minister, and your staff, for being here today. Thank you for leading a department that is really committed, in a government that is committed to natural resources and the mining industry.
Last year, many of our colleagues here attended PDAC in Toronto, the largest mining conference in the world. There was a lot of optimism last year, and this year, with the direction of our government. I also attended round tables on Bill C-69, which was strongly supported by the Canadian Mining Association. Also, I attended last year the launch of the Canadian minerals and metals plan, which was overwhelmingly supportive and very positive.
Also last year at PDAC we heard from the mining industry, which is really looking for certainty on the exploration side. The Conservative government for the last 10 years only extended the mineral tax credit for one year. I want to give you the opportunity to explain what we've done to expand the mineral exploration tax credit.
Also, can you tell us where we are with the minerals and metals plan? When can we expect the final report?