Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to the witnesses.
My first question is for Minister Parsons.
My understanding is that in 2015, 1.2 billion dollars' worth of exploration licences were issued in the call in Newfoundland. Pretty much every call since then that Newfoundland has done had exploration licences applied for and given, for considerable money. Then this bill was introduced and for some reason there were none this summer.
I'm just curious. You said that it was to be expected. Was it to be expected because this bill was introduced and you went from every year having exploration licences issued to then having none?