Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Welcome, Minister.
I'll try to get us back on the moon shot questioning. That's why you're here.
Last week, you were in Hamilton, in my municipality, with the Prime Minister and cabinet. You had the opportunity to tour McMaster University's innovation park. Dr. Emadi was there, highlighting their work on autonomous vehicles as well as other AI-related work they're doing at McMaster.
One theme that came up during the tour—not just from the professor but from the students—was that there's a lot of private sector support. A lot of government resources have been invested in the facility—like, for that building you were walking through, obviously. Lots of federal, as well as provincial, dollars and investments have been made.
They were seeking more assistance along the lines of operational dollars. The automotive industries, in that instance, are providing funds for the students and the faculty to conduct the work they're conducting. Their question was this: What role does the federal government play on a go-forward basis from an operational perspective?
I know you're very familiar with the budget lines in your ministry. What role do you foresee us playing in the next couple of years, specifically with McMaster, but also with other institutions like it that are conducting very important research?