Thank you so much for that.

You're absolutely right. Again, that's why I have export promotion. I think the promotion part is key. We have to let our small and medium-sized businesses across the country know where the resources are.

You're absolutely right in terms of the organizations, the small and medium-sized businesses but also the networks and the ecosystems that exist across the country. We have to let them know where those supports might be, whether it is access to capital, talent or mentorship.

Whether it's the banks, the chambers or the start-ups, I'm very pleased to say that within the first week of my appointment, I talked to all of them. It really wasn't to dig in, it was to simply say that I have this portfolio and I'm so excited to be working with you.

I do see that it isn't just government, and even within the government, we must work horizontally. We also need to engage with the stakeholders and with others who are working to help support the growth of our Canadian small and medium-sized businesses.

I think this is where there's an opportunity for you, as the committee, to actually study this and perhaps take the time to hear more, in greater depth. I look forward to the work that the committee is going to do, so that I can benefit from some more specific types of recommendations, or some prioritized recommendations from those organizations that would then help me do our work.

With respect to post-secondary...absolutely. There are five supercluster initiatives across the country. They see academia as integral to the growth of small and medium-sized businesses. There are companies that are growing that research—where you're taking from research to commercialization—who use the services of IRAP, the industrial research assistance program, for example, out of the NRC. These are programs that the federal government has that are working with academia.

Academia also sits closely with many of the incubators and accelerators across the country. Those are also supports that the federal government—along with provincial partners and others—has collaborated on. There we are seeing wonderful growth and opportunities of small companies, young entrepreneurs who are developing their business plan and ideas out of post-secondary. Through that effort, through the attached incubators and then the accelerators, they are getting the access to advice, mentorship networks and financing.

Whether it is financing through the BDC or through our venture capital catalyst initiative....

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