Natural Resources committee  Both of us can, if possible. First, with regard to the economic benefits, as I said in my presentation, according to the Government of Quebec itself, the development of 250 wells represents investments of $1 billion. We're also talking about 10,000 jobs that would be linked to t

Natural Resources committee  If there is some legal confusion, the partners should first sit down and find a basis for agreement so that the rules are clear and known to everyone. That's the first thing to do, in my view. Second, when the time comes to drill, as drilling is obviously done on the land of an

Natural Resources committee  Exactly, the business therefore can lease part of the land for five, seven or 10 years, long enough to—

Natural Resources committee  Exactly, but the surface rights still belong to the owner, and that resource must still be developed in cooperation with the landowners. When the time comes to drill, they must be at the bargaining table with the business, individually or collectively, so that acceptable prices c

Natural Resources committee  Rules that are clear and known to everyone are desirable, precisely to permit more balanced, more equitable development, which includes the members of the community. Of course, if there is a little grey area and we aren't sure what we can do or not do, it's difficult to do busine

Natural Resources committee  You're right to say that the underground does not belong to owners, but there are surface rights. To drill a well, businesses have to reach the necessary agreements with the owners. With regard to development, if we want to adopt a vision that respects the local villages and the

Natural Resources committee  Thank you very much for inviting us, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to thank my colleague Vincent for preparing this presentation with me. We will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. I want to recall that the Montreal Economic Institute is an independent, and thus