Thank you, all, for being here again.
I want to start, as I often do, with the focus right at the beginning.
On page 6, it says:
This audit focused on whether Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, according to their respective roles and responsibilities, monitored the state of connectivity, and developed and implemented a strategy to meet the connectivity needs of Canadians in rural and remote areas.
The conclusion on page 26 says:
We concluded that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, according to their respective roles and responsibilities, monitored the state of connectivity
—so, congratulations—
but did not share enough detailed information publicly. We also concluded that Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada did not develop and implement a national strategy to improve broadband Internet connectivity to a specific service level in rural and remote areas.
That's going to be the focus of my comment.
However, I do want to start on a positive note and, where I can and where it's deserved, give some credit. Mr. Berthelette, in paragraph 5 of his opening remarks, advised:
Mr. Chair, with respect to the state of connectivity in Canada, we found that the Department relied on complete and accurate data to inform policy-making aimed at addressing the connectivity gap in rural and remote areas.
So, by the looks of it, you did a good job on data. Data has been a major priority for us in this term of Parliament, so congratulations on that. That's well done.
Now I want to get to this business of a national strategy because there is a piece missing and I'm not getting it. There are 12 years of studies that say that we need a national broadband strategy. Yet, Mr. Berthelette, you say in the third paragraph of your opening remarks.... To be specific, it states that for 12 years we have needed a national strategy.
It says:
However, at the time we finished our audit, the government had still not agreed to take that step.
I know that they have, subsequently, but at the time, no.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada indicated it was reluctant to establish a strategy with an objective that could not be reached with the available funding.
Mr. Berthelette, would you just expand on that, please? It sounds backwards to me, but again, if you would just reiterate your findings....