Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to welcome the witnesses who are with us for the second hour of our study.
Dr. Bouchard, it is an honour to have you here at the Standing Committee on Science and Research. I would like to thank you personally for all the work you did on the report. It is an exhaustive, long-term accomplishment, and you entirely deserve this recognition. Thank you for being with us today, and, of course, for telling us about everything you have discovered and learned. Thank you for making suggestions, as well.
Rumour has it that there was good news in the 2024 budget, this being an increase in research funding. We have to admit that funding had stagnated in the last two years. However, we are worried that the funding will not be available if the government does not put this new capstone research organization in place.
I would like to hear what you have to say on this subject, the importance that funding be available, even if the process of putting a new organization in place is not yet under way.