Thank you very much for the question.
Certainly critical minerals are of enormous strategic importance. That's been recognized in the budget, where $3.8 billion has been assigned to address our critical minerals strategy. That is a further tranche over and above earlier funding that was reflected in the main estimates, which will allow for the creation of a centre of excellence for critical minerals. The centre of excellence will be the centrepiece in establishing and elaborating our strategy with respect to such minerals.
As the honourable member says, what will be critical here is focusing our efforts where we can in order to support Canadian supply chains and the supply chains of our allies and work very closely with those allies, with private sector and with indigenous communities to ensure that the development of these resources is done in a responsible way and in a way that allows for indigenous reconciliation and self-determination. That's why part of the funding includes our indigenous partnerships program and funding for the indigenous partnerships office.
We also need to be working very closely with allies and with industry groups as this policy evolves.
Thank you.