Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
First of all, let me introduce myself. I am the member for the riding of Longueuil—Saint-Hubert and I'm responsible for heritage issues. I was recently appointed critic for the electrification of transportation file, and I am very proud of that. I share this task, of course, with my colleague Robert Aubin, who is the transport critic. In that context, I think you have undertaken a very relevant study, even though when it comes to what we call smart cities, we talk about connectivity more than about electricity. That being said, one can function very well with diesel and be interconnected.
Mr. Berndt, from Ottawa Hydro Limited, referred earlier to the smart grid and the smart client. Not only will the latter consume electricity, but he or she will also be able to put some back into the grid. I've seen that in certain provinces, these issues are different. In Quebec, electrical rates are by and large the best in Canada. However, in Ontario, there was recently some panic around these rates. Given that very difficult aspect of the situation, you must be having to deal with a lot of unhappy people, and certainly with issues of non-payment.
My question is for all three witnesses.
In your opinion, could the federal government's intervention be better coordinated?
In all humility, I get the sense that the large municipalities and provinces are taking the lead but that at this time, there is no overarching vision on the part of the federal government in this regard.
Does anyone wish to respond to that statement? Mr. Berndt, you have the floor.