Thank you, Chair.
Thank you to both witnesses for attending here today.
You both mentioned the importance of intertie construction. I must confess to you that as a member of Parliament who has been on this committee for the majority of the last 11 years, I was certainly here in 2017 when you, Dr. Exner-Pirot, mentioned a very important thing that happened. It was that very year that this committee made all-party recommendations to advance the construction of interties. What a different world we might be in today if that had actually unfolded.
Dr. Exner-Pirot, in your report “Blackout”, you highlighted, as you mentioned, that Canada became “a net importer of electricity” for the first time in modern history in spring 2024, and you pointed out that both B.C. and Quebec imported electricity, which was characterized as “a previously unthinkable outcome”.
You also identified Liberal policies that significantly increase “regulatory burden” and block the kind of construction that is necessary to meet all the various industrial, national security, affordability and self-reliance goals that the government professes to want to support.
Do you want to expand on some of those policies that are blocking building and the fixes that could be made urgently?