Science and Research committee  I can certainly provide those figures to the committee.

Science and Research committee  With regard to the Council on Science and Innovation, as you mentioned, there was a call for potential membership in 2019. I can't speak to the government's intentions with respect to when to move forward with that, although I would observe that the pandemic has obviously been a very big focus for government policy, but it has also drawn on a lot of expert advice.

Science and Research committee  With respect to AI, photonics doesn't figure quite so prominently with respect to AI research, but there are applications of AI in a whole range of different areas, including developing new materials and new technologies, so I think there is a crosswalk there. With respect to what the government's doing, it has had for a number of years something called the pan-Canadian AI strategy, which to date has been delivered through CIFAR, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

Science and Research committee  It's certainly the case that AI technologies, and maybe even more so quantum technologies, are sensitive from the perspective of being potentially used in sensitive security areas. What we have been doing within our programs is starting to implement some tools and practices that help to better protect Canadian research.

Science and Research committee  Madam Chair, thank you for the invitation today. As you mentioned, I'm the assistant deputy minister for the science and research sector at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. It's a pleasure to appear before the committee on this important topic that you are discussing.