Thanks, Chair.
Thanks to all of the witnesses for taking the time to participate in our meeting today. I very much appreciate Heather and Stewart for putting the sector in context.
There will be an ongoing debate around definitions of subsidies versus benchmark tax and fiscal treatment for industries and businesses across the country. However, it is important, if proponents are going to say that all of these fiscal measures and tax treatments count as subsidies, that there be a consideration about the return on investment, value for tax dollars and public good.
Certainly, in proportion, I think the billions of dollars in annual tax revenue to all three levels of government would show a major value in that regard. I invite, in your responses, any opportunity you want to take to expand on those concepts.
As a person who believes in a level playing field and isn't a fan of corporate welfare, I wonder if Stewart from Resource Works and Andrea from Enserva might want to expand on Canada's investment climate for the natural resources sector now, how we are viewed worldwide and whether or not we remain a first-choice country in which to do business in the natural resources sector.
I'll go to Stewart and then Andrea.