Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll start by touching on something that was on the front page of your comments, where you referenced Scandinavian countries and their desire to be more like Canada. I reference that because prior to being elected, I worked for a company that was putting a biomass project together, a co-generation project in the agrifood sector. We were using it to lower the cost of energy, which was the number one component to the product we were making. We actually looked at the Scandinavian models—for reclamation of excess biomass, binding tops—because they have some really progressive technologies that we're not utilizing here in North America. In fact, a large percentage of our biomass, especially tops and foliage, just gets left to waste in the forest after we're done. Of course, this varies, depending on which province you're in within the country, but I know from my experience that there is a substantial amount that's left, that's really a resource we should be capitalizing on.
Based on that, how do you feel that trade-off is between us and those Scandinavian countries? I for one would look to them for leadership on this file, especially around biomass and centralized heating programs. There are some really innovative things, which are actually not that innovative but are hundreds of years old, that they're still utilizing and we're not. Where do you think the opportunity lies there? Does Canada have an opportunity to capitalize on a substantial amount of biomass that we're not utilizing right now, and what are the best ways for us to get hold of that?