Industry committee  Is it possible to have that directed to the chair?

Industry committee  Okay, I do appreciate that. I'd like to unpack the issue of the connect to innovate program because I believe a lot of Canadians are wanting answers. Deputy Minister, can you provide further context as to how it is possible that a majority of applicants for a program that close

Industry committee  Can the department not take the perspective of the people who are applying? Oftentimes, you have townships, counties, municipalities or first nations communities that just need an answer because if they can't apply and receive funding under your program, they may want to proceed

Industry committee  But when you have over 500 groups that have applied—

Industry committee  Deputy Minister, to be fair—

Industry committee  —if someone applies for it, the idea is that they would have a reasonable answer. You could say, “No, not in this first round. We are expecting other funds, so if you would like us to keep you in status, please let us know.” That way you would not be having a program that is so

Industry committee  But again, Deputy Minister, you say that we all have this target for minimum upload/download speeds, and yet you have a policy in this government that makes it so you can't be nimble and quick and respond to these things. I think it's a little disingenuous when we have your minis

Industry committee  Okay.

Industry committee  Okay. Thank you. I'd like to move to a few questions we have with regard to some of the policy development of your department. I'm sure many of the funds from the estimates here are supporting that. We've heard nearly universal opposition to the hexagon model for determining el

Industry committee  I do have a few other things here. Maybe in a moment she can jump in, because I'm going to continue talking about this.

Industry committee  Deputy, you've mentioned the Infrastructure Bank. That's a model where private industry will be expecting a large return. I think it's very cold comfort for rural remote communities to have even the perception that they might attract that. Also, that organization hasn't even set

Industry committee  But again in terms of the hexagon itself, Deputy Minister, I've met with small Internet providers that have said your funding does not apply because in one small corner of a large area where there's a large number of users, if one household has received connectivity, they assume

Industry committee  Well, again the Auditor General pointed out—

Industry committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to thank the deputy minister for making changes to his schedule to accommodate the committee, and also thank the officials. Thank you for what you do for our country. Deputy minister, just in regard to your official capacity as an accounting office

Industry committee  In the last Parliament we passed legislation—your party supported it—to ensure that the promotion of terrorism via website is against the Criminal Code. I'm sure no business like Facebook or others would want to be criminally liable. But Minister, there's a practical component h