Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'll go once again to Mr. Lajeunesse and Mr. Bernier.
The St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes are respectively the most densely populated areas in Quebec and Canada. I imagine that has artificially changed many shorelines over the years and had a major anthropic effect, along with shipping, on shorelines and occupied lands. Ultimately, this also means there has been a significant impact on the ecological environment over the years, since now there is necessarily less vegetation and biodiversity and fewer animals on the shorelines.
You also mentioned that shoreline erosion seemed to be greater in places where there were no protective works and where more features had been left in their natural state. How do you reconcile the two? There appears to be less erosion in places that have artificial protection, and thus where the shoreline has been artificially altered, but at the same time, from an ecological standpoint, it would be preferable to leave them more in their natural state.
We talked about a shoreline protection program. Are you in favour of that?
What form should it take?
What would happen if we decided not to introduce such a program?