Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank you, Minister, for appearing before committee today and for the great work you do in energy transition in Canada.
First of all, the amendments to the Atlantic accord that we're dealing with today impact only two provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. The amendments are before the committee today because these provinces asked for them. Any other provinces or territories that are looking for offshore wind development would take a completely different process. That is my understanding, Minister.
On the bill that we're dealing with, we're dealing with it today and not eight years ago because this is when the provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are seeing an opportunity to develop offshore wind. They want to change the regulatory process to include it in their provinces, under their bodies' regulatory regimes. That is my understanding.
Can you confirm that this is the case and that, if this were not the case, we probably wouldn't be sitting here with this bill today?