Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll be quick.
First of all, thank you for the work you do. It is important and enlightening work for all the parliamentarians and Canadians who examine your reports.
I am going to focus on one report in particular, because my colleagues will discuss the other ones.
I'm interested in the report on the connectivity of rural and remote regions, just like the other 3.7 millions citizens like myself who only have access to very low speed Internet service. At home, when I am get up and want to download La Presse, I have to tell my sons to get off the Internet so that I can have access to it. Many people are in the same situation.
In your general message, you say that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada was reluctant to develop a strategy without the necessary funding. You say that that department has invested $500 million to connect several rural and remote communities in Canada to high speed Internet services.
Why do you say that the department was reluctant to establish a strategy?