I will be pleased to be the first to answer the question. You would probably need to ask the provinces, which make those kinds of decisions.
As for Canada's nuclear situation, we saw real growth and development in the construction of reactors from the 1970s to the 1990s. That was when CANDU technology was developed because of a great energy need in some provinces.
Since then, other forms of energy have been developed, including natural gas and renewable energies, such as hydroelectricity. Building these kinds of facility is less costly than building nuclear power plants.
For nuclear energy to be competitive in countries like Canada, we need to have a long-term vision and specific energy strategies, since we need to make profitable the significant initial investment required for nuclear energy.
Over time, this becomes increasingly competitive because the facilities can last for over 60 years. In the case of wind or solar energy, the initial costs are much lower, but replacement must take place much sooner.
Taking a longer-term view of electricity sources gives nuclear power a chance in Canada. A longer-term vision gives greater scope to nuclear energy. If we focus on reducing greenhouse gases, and if we want clean energy that does not generate GHGs, nuclear energy becomes increasingly competitive in comparison to fossil fuels.
Before I turn the floor over to my colleagues, I want to point out that the real opportunities for Canadian industry are mostly overseas. Energy sources are very remote in many countries. Access to electricity is therefore more difficult than in Canada. Countries such as India and China have the goal of building a much wider system of nuclear power plants, providing opportunities for a country like Canada.
Finally, the ultimate goal is energy security. Some countries, such as Romania and Poland, want to be more independent when it comes to generating electricity, and they see nuclear power as a way to do that. They are in talks with Canadian industry to see if Canada can take advantage of this opportunity and export Canadian technologies to those countries.
I will now turn it over to my colleague.