Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to both of our witnesses for appearing today.
I would like to start my questions fairly generally. My sense in the conversations that have led to this legislation is that there's a tension that exists when it comes to Canada's ports and our port authorities.
In speaking with port authorities, my sense is that they wish to act more independently, to have the flexibility and the freedom to compete globally, and to act more like private corporations, in that they want to be able to borrow money more easily and to make strategic investments rapidly to enable them to compete globally. I think that's an understandable perspective.
In talking to the government and the minister, my sense is that the focus of this legislation seems to be on public accountability, that is, moving port authorities and marine ports along that spectrum from fully arm's-length corporate entities to more government and public accountability, particularly coming on the heels of the pandemic and the supply chain challenges that we've seen.
If the goal of the legislation before us is to move us along that spectrum towards more public accountability and more ministerial accountability, is that a direction that you support?
I'll put it to both of you, with the hope of a short answer so I can ask my other nine questions.