Latest news with #Champagne
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
I tried Gordon Ramsay's beef wellington at the Savoy
The first purpose-built deluxe hotel in London, The Savoy is still to this day the only 5-star hotel on the River Thames. A magnet for the wealthy, the famous, and the glamorous. Or so you thought. 'Cos I went last weekend. I've always loved a trip to London. The train down itself evokes a sense of excitement in me, but this trip surpassed all others. It was, without question, unforgettable in every way. On the Northbank of the River Thames, it is equidistant from the City of London, the world's financial capital, as well as the luxury thoroughfares of Knightsbridge and Mayfair. (Image: Newsquest) So, as I approached the grand entrance - as a man who often looks like he got dressed during a power cut - I was somewhat nervous at what lay ahead. Thankfully, I had the foresight to plan ahead, there would be no sartorial faux pas on this occasion. Ha! No sir. I wore jeans. Jokes aside, it honestly was quite nerve-wracking at first. My girlfriend and I had experienced Gordon Ramsay's food before, at his incredible restaurant in Manchester, but this was on another level. To the uninitiated, The Savoy is daunting. At first, you don't know how to act, whom to speak to, or even where to look. We were at least three social classes below the local stray cat. But then came along the concierge at the reception, who set the perfect tone for the evening. Charming, warm, friendly, and to put it plainly, nice, we were set at ease seconds upon crossing the threshold. All those preconceived emotions dissipated immediately, we simply gave in to the experience. And we were in for some ride. The inside of the Savoy screams elegance, yet somewhat delicately. Now, you might think, how? But it somehow manages it. Subtle, decadent, yet still retaining an incredible allure. We passed through a lounge, which had a feeling reminiscent of 1950's jazz bars, to get to our table. Right in the corner of The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay. Perfect. (Image: Newsquest) The view of the Thames was quickly forgotten by the sudden arrival of Ethan, our server for the night and Champagne, complimentary from the River Restaurant. I'm not one for bubbles, typically, but I could have had an entire bottle of this. After mulling over the menu (lord knows why, we had perused the online version weeks beforehand obsessively), we decided on a bottle of Chablis, the seafood platter for two, Gordon Ramsay's signature beef wellington, and the haddock in Champagne sauce. When. In. Rome. Ethan told us the wait for the seafood platter would be about half an hour, so he suggested we get some sides for the time being. Do not threaten us. We went for some malted sourdough and whipped taramasalata with cured scallop roe. In hindsight, this was a mistake. The Chablis and sides arrived promptly, and we tucked into both. I'll be totally honest, I'm not overly familiar with taramasalata, but it was a pure revelation with that sourdough bread and butter. However, we were in danger of filling up too quickly. Thankfully, my favourite white wine on the planet soothed our palates just in time for the showstopper, the seafood platter for two. Or as it should be styled, 'half of Brighton's seafront, on ice'. I gawped at what lay in front of me, staring open-mouthed at the mountain of Finding Nemo extras. Oysters, snails, cockles, clams, mussels, crevettes and deviled crab. For myself, the oysters complemented by the vinaigrette and Tabasco were a marriage made in heaven. The snails, on the other hand, a lonely singleton. Not for me. (Image: Newsquest) The mussels were equally moreish; they are perhaps my favourite fish of all, so to be edged out by the oysters is truly saying something. The prawns, the cockles and the clams were all equally delicious. It all tasted so incredibly fresh, like that half-hour wait was giving the chef ample time to go and catch them, just for us. Stunning. Where we sat felt special. Right in the corner where we could chat, drink amazing wine, and take in the incredible aura of the restaurant. 'Bury me here,' springs to mind. I do like a spot of people watching from time to time, so this best seat in the house gave us the perfect opportunity. Forgive everything I said earlier about this being a place solely for the ladies, lord's and aristocrats, it was a place for normal people wanting an unforgettable experience. An anniversary, a birthday, a celebration, the Savoy listens to what you want to get out of it and responds tremendously. But before I became lost in the moment, the next round of showstoppers was about to arrive. Gordon Ramsay's beef wellington is arguably one of the most famous dishes on the planet. From TikTok to YouTube, I've seen this dish recreated a thousand times, and the end result never ceases to amaze me. Aesthetically, it appears to be one of the most succulent things in the world. But I've never had the opportunity to see if the taste matches the look until now. As the plate approached my table, I had a flashback. Have you seen the Top Gear episode when Jeremy Clarkson arrives at camp with a cow on his roof? Yep, that's what it felt like. Imagine that cow in pastry. Georgia's haddock in Champagne sauce felt a little more delicate. Anyway, le verdict. Does it stand up to the hype? Yes, it does, in droves. (Image: Newsquest) The beef was cooked perfectly medium rare and cut through like butter, each mouthful felt more tender than the last. The accompanying red wine jus elevated the flavour of the beef to new levels; it was without doubt one of the best cuts of beef I've ever tasted. The haddock, word. I went in expecting the beef wellington to just blow me away, but that honour has to go to the haddock. The Champagne sauce had a hint of anise to it, which felt like a soothing Ouzo cuddle in the belly. Of the haddock itself, it was quite honestly one of the nicest things I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. It's called the River Restaurant for a reason, after all. After all this food, you're probably thinking, how can you possibly fit more in? Well, his beef wellington is probably just a touch more famous than his sticky toffee pudding. So we shared one. If this were to be our Mr Creosote moment, then so be it. It would've been worth it. Recommended reading: Gordon Ramsay's restaurant review: An incredible experience I visited the Grand Hotel in Birmingham and owe an apology REVIEW: Marco's New York Italian - a sad disappointment The Savoy's River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be frank with you. I felt so lucky to be able to experience a place that lives up to the hype and more. Yes, ok, it's obviously going to be an expensive experience. You don't need me to tell you that. But if you want to visit somewhere for a special occasion that will truly give you a taste of the high life, then consider this top of your list. From the staff at reception to the waiters, sommeliers and chefs, it was a place that made you feel wealthy, famous, and glamorous, no matter your background
The Courier
3 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Meet the maverick Fife producers transforming cider from regret-filled teenage tipple to 'the new Champagne'
Nestled among the rolling hills of north-east Fife is The Naughton Cider Company. Here, hundreds of apple trees cover the grounds. Over 50 varieties of apples are grown on the estate, and many of them are used to make cider. This is not the cider of your youth. It doesn't taste of sugar and impending regret. Nor does it lend itself to being tanned. Instead, the ciders produced by The Naughton Cider Company are elegant, crisp and boast a luxurious effervescence. They bear more than a passing resemblance to high-quality Champagne. That sophisticated cider is being produced in Fife will be news to many people. And yet, Peter Crawford, founder of The Naughton Cider Company, is far from the only local producer challenging consumers' cider-based assumptions. There is a reason why so many of us associate cider with subpar products. As Peter tells me: 'Sadly, cider has spent the last 50 years slowly bastardising itself.' Now, most mass-produced ciders are overly sweet and offer little in terms of nuance. Convincing people that cider can be as complex and enjoyable as fine wine is a constant battle for all local cidermakers, including Roger Howison, founder of Aipple. 'As teenagers, cider is one of our first alcoholic drinks,' Roger says. 'It's usually sickly sweet and just pretty vile. Sadly, a lot of us drink it to excess and that memory stays with us.' At tastings, the first thing he tells people is that Aipple isn't sweet, but medium dry. Peter adds: 'I generally say: 'Forget the cider you've drunk before. This is something different.'' Scottish cidermakers are experimenting with a variety of production techniques. 'The beauty of [making cider in] Scotland is that we haven't really got an industry,' Peter tells me. 'I sense we're at this point where we can be and make whatever we want.' Peter has used this freedom to create Scottish cider using the 'traditional method', the technique winemakers use to produce Champagne. 'I genuinely believe there is an opportunity to create something that sits alongside really good sparkling wines,' he tells me. The team at Aipple also employ interesting techniques. Strikingly, they have produced a cider that's finished in whisky casks. The cider is incredibly complex with a finish that speaks of both caramel and vanilla. Craft cider producers are popping up across Scotland, but the scene is particularly strong in Fife. This has a lot to do with the area's history of apple growing. Apple growing in northeast Fife took off when the Tironensian monks settled there about 1,000 years ago. The industry thrived until after World War Two. Building on this heritage is one of the key reasons why Roger decided to plant his own apple trees. Roger's cider-making journey was also inspired by a desire to diversify his farm. Planting apple trees and producing Aipple gives Roger an opportunity to do this while also involving him with a product from start to finish – a rarity for farmers. 'We've seen an explosion of cider producers come onto the market and deliver some wonderful things,' Peter says. 'The more we have of that the better.' His own cider is a prime example of what can be achieved when apples are treated with care. The flavours and aromas presented by The Naughton Cider Company's brut vintage are astounding, ranging from fudge to lemon. This is to say nothing of the liquid's mature, satisfying structure. The world's changing climate is affecting everyone who works with food. Cider producers in Fife are no exception. 'It's very difficult to say right now what's going to work in the future,' Peter says. 'I planted some oslin, a Scottish variety, and it's failed to do anything in the last five years. 'I'm guessing the weather is just too hot.' Warmer, dryer summers also mean that English apple varieties are now growing well in Fife. Roger is growing 38 apple varieties on his farm, 750 trees in total. Two-thirds of these trees are cider varieties from England. 'This was a huge gamble,' Roger tells me. 'We couldn't see anybody else who'd grown these cider varieties up here.' The gamble paid off. Roger tells me a few varieties are yielding better than the rest. All of them are English. 'This is so motivating for us,' Roger says. 'We've taken a gamble on these varieties and they are doing better than anything else.' Roger grows his apples using an agroforestry system known as alley cropping. This involves planting rows of arable crops between rows of apple trees. Since adopting this system, he's noticed an increase in local wildlife. 'The improvement in biodiversity is palpable. My dad had never seen barn owls despite being on the farm since the 1940s, and we've got two barn owl families now,' he says. Thanks to the likes of Peter and Roger, Scottish cider is hitting new highs. However, producers are under no illusions that craft cider will become as popular as craft beer. Given the cost, time and labour associated with producing high-quality, vinous cider, it is improbable that a cider-making behemoth, similar to craft beer's BrewDog, will burst onto the scene anytime soon. That said, these are still exciting times for cider producers in Fife. Peter is hoping to start exporting to China and the United States, while Roger is committed to making single-variety ciders in the near future. However, what both men would like more than anything is for more local Scots to enjoy their cider. As Peter says: 'The most beautiful thing for me would be to sell most of my cider within 50 miles of the orchards. We want to share this cider with the local community.'
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Father's Day Gift Guide 2025: 8 Great Sustainable, Luxury Champagnes
Tasting of Champagne in flute glasses with view of Champagne vineyards, France Climate change's impact on wine regions around the world has been a hot topic of conversation in recent years. But the winemakers of Champagne—the most famous sparkling wine region in the northeast of France—have had their eyes on the problem for far longer than the general public. Across the region, producers are moving away from industrial practices and embracing more thoughtful methods — converting to organic or biodynamic farming, reducing synthetic inputs, and rethinking what sustainability means in one of the world's most image-conscious wine regions. Some are experimenting with cover crops, others with compost teas or agroforestry. For Father's Day, we've rounded up eight bottles that reflect this shift — from forward-thinking grower Champagnes to legacy houses making meaningful changes. Whether you're gifting or gathering, these wines tell a story that goes beyond the label. The team at Lanson standing in their vineyards. Since joining Lanson in 2013 and becoming Chef de Caves in 2015, Hervé Dantan has introduced measurable environmental upgrades without changing the house's hallmark style — fresh, elegant wines without malolactic fermentation. He oversaw the launch of Le Green Bio-Organic, a certified organic and biodynamic cuvée sourced exclusively from the 16-hectare biodynamic vineyard, Domaine de la Malmaison in the Vallée de la Marne. He also brought in Eugénie Gianoncelli to oversee sustainability initiatives in Lanson's vineyards and across grower partnerships. From vineyard to cellar, changes include electric tractors, lighter bottles, and improved energy efficiency. Wine to find: Lanson Le Green Label Organic Bertrand Lhôpital, cellar master at Champagne Telmont, is steering the house's high-profile "Au Nom de la Terre" initiative, which aims for full organic certification across all vineyards, including growers. Backed by Remy-Cointreau and investor Leonardo DiCaprio, the estate has eliminated air freight, reduced packaging waste, and switched entirely to lightweight bottles. As of 2024, nearly 50% of the estate's sourcing is certified organic. The estate makes its wines with minimal intervention to ensure maximum transparency, often including details about environmental impact on the labels. Wine to find: Champagne Telmont Reserve Brut Elise Bougy in her winery. Élise Bougy took over her family's 3-hectare estate in Les Mesneux in 2016, introducing biodynamic methods in 2021 and earning organic certification in 2022. She farms without synthetic inputs and relies on spontaneous fermentation, full malolactic conversion, and little to no sulphur to capture site transparency in the wine. She neither filters or fines the wines, and ages them in a mix of wooden tanks, stainless steel, and barrels. Wine to find: Champagne Elise Bougy, 'Le Mont Chainqueux' 1er Cru Blanc De Noirs 2022 Champagne Fleury, based in Courteron in the Aube, was the first Champagne house to fully adopt biodynamic viticulture. Jean-Pierre Fleury began trials in 1989 and converted the family's 15-hectare estate entirely to biodynamics by 1992. His children — Jean-Sébastien, Morgane, and Benoît — have since joined the estate, each contributing to its evolution: from international outreach and natural wine experimentation to vineyard innovation and agroforestry. The family continues to prioritize low-intervention winemaking, using natural preparations, hand-harvesting, and lunar calendars to guide their work. Fleury's Champagnes are known for their clarity, varietal expression, and sense of place. Wine to find: Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs Brut NV Vineyards of Champagne Marie-Courtin. Dominique Moreau farms her small estate in the Aube's village of Polisot to produce Champagnes under the Marie-Courtin label. She created the estate in 2005 with a vision to produce a series of single-vineyard, single-variety, single-vintage Champagnes from biodynamically grown grapes to express a true sense of time and place in her wines. In the cellar, she uses spontaneous fermentation by indigenous yeasts and never adds a dosage. She makes some cuvées, including "Concordance," without adding sulfur. She also incorporates intuitive practices — like the use of pendulums — to guide élevage and blending decisions. Wine to find: Marie Courtin Champagne Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs Efflorescence 2018 A fifth-generation grower in Troissy, Alexis Leconte began converting his family's 13.5-acre estate to organic and biodynamic farming in 2015. The vineyards, planted mainly to Meunier, along with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, are cultivated with compost, cover crops, and without synthetic inputs. In the cellar, Leconte uses spontaneous fermentation, avoids filtration, and limits sulfur additions. His wines are aged in a mix of oak barrels and sandstone tanks, each chosen to match the soil profiles of the vineyard parcels. His wines, including Totem and Aria, emphasize structure and minerality while coaxing elegance from the oft-overlooked Meunier grape. Wine to find: Champagne A. Leconte Totem Champagne Drappier team. At his family's estate in Urville, Hugo Drappier has led one of the region's boldest sustainability strategies. In 2016, Drappier became Champagne's first carbon-neutral producer, thanks to solar power, water recycling, and ultra-lightweight bottles. Seventeen of the estate's 143 acres are certified organic, with the remainder in conversion. In the vineyard, Drappier uses horse plowing and experiments with disease-resistant grape varieties like Voltis. In the cellar, he avoids additives to produce vivid, expressive wines, often without sulphur. Wine to find: Drappier Brut Nature Sans Soufre Eric Rodez, based in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay, has managed his family's estate since 1980. Motivated by the challenges of the 1984 vintage, he stopped using herbicides in 1989 and became the first grower in Champagne to receive HVE (High Environmental Value) certification in 2012 — the same year he achieved organic certification. In 2015, he was certified biodynamic by Demeter. Rodez is known for his thoughtful, terroir-driven approach and produces a wide range of Champagnes that express the depth and character of Ambonnay. Wine to Find: Eric Rodez Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut NV
North Wales Live
5 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Live
Cote Brasserie serving Champagne by the glass for Apero Hour
Côte Brasserie is re launching Apéro Hour, running from 5pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday, with offers on key drinks. The offer includes Champagne by the glass. Usually reserved for full bottles, the premium French cuvée is now available for £7.50 during Apéro Hour only, for the first time. The drinks list also features Anciens Temps wines starting at £5, a low/no alcohol Kisumé rosé from Aubert & Mathieu at £5, and a rotating selection of spritz cocktails for £10. Fans of beer can enjoy imported French lager from £4.50, and Côte's signature Crémant de Bourgogne at £5.50 a glass, a sparkling alternative to Prosecco. A spokesperson for Côte Brasserie, said: 'We're so excited to launch Apéro just ahead of summer. It's a chance to bring a little more pleasure to the start of the evening, whether you're heading out, catching up with friends or just treating yourself. There's something very French about that pause between work and dinner, and we've created a menu that makes it feel just as special whether you're in Sloane Square or Solihull. The chance to enjoy a glass of Champagne for £7.50 is a real moment, it's indulgent but still accessible, and that's what Côte is all about.' The launch of Apéro Hour arrives alongside Côte's Spring Specials menu, curated by Executive Chef Steve Allen, formerly of Gordon Ramsay Restaurants. The menu features like Wye Valley asparagus, wild garlic, and Gariguette strawberries, beetroot-cured smoked salmon, wild garlic French toast, and a slow-cooked lamb shank Navarin, finished with a light Gariguette strawberry trifle. They are available on Côte's Market Menu, with three small plates for £20.95. Côte's delivery service Côte at Home offers a spring menu featuring lamb rump with dauphinoise, truffled corn velouté, and a tarte aux fraises, delivered chilled and ready to serve.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada rethinks military spending as Trump turns up the pressure
OTTAWA — Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is signaling a bold shift in Canadian defense spending — one where the military is a national priority. 'We need to rebuild our armed forces. We need to rebuild infrastructure. We need to build new defense systems, but we need to do that where we support Canadian industry, Canadian workers and Canadian autonomy,' Champagne told POLITICO in a wide-ranging interview in his 18th-floor corner office. Canada is nowhere near the NATO spending target of 2 percent of GDP. A report from the alliance pegs it at 1.37 percent, making it one of the worst offenders in the alliance. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau once privately advised NATO officials that Canada would never meet the target, according to documents leaked from the Pentagon two years ago. Now, Secretary-General Mark Rutte says that target is likely to rise to 5 percent at next month's NATO summit in The Hague. U.S. President Donald Trump and his ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, have implored Canada to pony up on defense. It's the same message American administrations have been sending to Canada for decades, including from Barack Obama's Democrats. Champagne has served in numerous senior Cabinet portfolios: international trade, foreign affairs, industry and now as Carney's right hand at finance. 'We want to do big things. We want to do them fast,' he said. Here is a transcript of our conversation, edited for length and clarity. You met King Charles. How'd that go? Today was a day that will go down in history. I love it when he said, 'the true north, strong and free.' I think it resonated in the minds of Canadians and in the hearts of Canadians. How's that going to resonate in Washington? They'll see that Canada has its own distinct institutions, that indeed we are a great nation, that we have an ambitious agenda for Canada of the 21st century. And that although we will always be friends, we will find our way like we did. When I look at 2025, it reminds me of 1945, where C.D. Howe kind of reinvented modern industrial Canada. It's one of these moments in history where we're really rebuilding the nation. And I think we're fit for purpose. We will be the supplier of choice to the world. What message did you take away from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell last week at the G7 finance ministers meeting in Banff? The desire to work collaboratively with colleagues to tackle the big issues. We talked about over capacity, non-market practices. We talked also about going after money laundering, the call to action on financial crimes. The communique had some strong language on Ukraine. It called it a brutal war. It blamed the fighting on Russia. How hard was it to get the U.S. to agree to that language on Ukraine? Did you sense the Americans growing frustrated with Russia? We've since seen what Trump has said. Without going into the detail of the discussion, there was really a sense of unity, understanding that Ukraine is fighting for democracy for all of us. And that it is incumbent upon us to look at every possible way where we can support Ukraine in this existential fight. And the message to the world is that we stand shoulder to shoulder, we're going to hold Russia to account. And very important in the communique is the statement that Secretary Bessent made whilst we were last in Washington that all the colleagues stood behind, which is the fact that anyone who supported directly, indirectly, the Russian war machine against Ukraine will not be able to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine. That statement in the communique embodies the unity of the G7, and our resolve to support Ukraine. What's Canada going to bring to the Ukraine reconstruction conference? We will need to partner with the private sector. I see a big role for Canada when it comes to energy, conventional energy, when it comes to nuclear energy, when it comes to engineering firms. Canadian firms are very present. Fairfax is the largest insurer in Ukraine. There is a moral imperative to support Ukraine in its reconstruction, but there's also a lot of opportunities for Canadian companies. You see a role for Canada and getting behind insuring risk? You mentioned Fairfax. There's discussion being led by the U.K. and Norway about making sure that there would be an insurance and a reinsurance market for people who want to operate in Ukraine. I know there's discussion with EDC [Export Development Canada] with respect to that, and the fact that Fairfax is the largest insurer in Ukraine, we have a great positioning. Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been targeted heavily. When we say Canada wants to be an energy superpower, people have talked a lot about conventional energy. But if you look in the nuclear field, Canada is one of the few countries in the world which can offer, basically, training for the people who build reactors. We provide the fuel, and we can also do the decommissioning. So you could almost sell energy as a service with these firms. Today, energy security is key to providing stability and prosperity to people. It's true when it comes to Ukraine, it's true when it comes to Eastern Europe. It's true when it comes to both South Korea and Japan. The Americans want to partner on nuclear too, right? It's part of their energy plan. Nuclear power is going to be part of the energy mix. When you look at the remanufacturing that is happening in a lot of Western countries, and if you add to that the digital economy around quantum and AI, you cannot talk today about quantum or AI without talking about energy. Your previous ministers had these various tax credits for clean energy. Are these credits going to stay? Are you going to streamline them, to become an energy superpower? What I like about a lot of these tax credits, they were based on production. We were smart when we did that. For example, in the EV sector, and when we attracted these investments, the great thing in that is that we had a strategic and prudent approach with respect to fiscal policy. These credits have been very helpful for Canada to attract significant investment. Will they stay in place, or will they change? We want to build the strongest economy of the G7. We need to have one Canadian economy, not 13. We need to give preferential treatment to Canadian companies when it comes to public procurement so that they can build a country together. We're going to fight the U.S. tariffs because they are certainly harmful to the Canadian economy, and I would even add also make North America less competitive. At the same time, we're going to protect our workers and our industry and we're going to build this country. That's what you heard today, very much in the throne speech. This is about a vision for Canada. This is about a strong and confident Canada. You've held virtually every major portfolio in Canada. How are you going to leverage all of that here? I know the machinery of government. I know how Ottawa works, and I have the relationships to make things happen. Because when you are here sitting at the finance department, you have kind of this oversight in terms of what's going on in government to support the prime minister. Your predecessors in this job have been really good at saying no to defense spending. Things have changed. And Mark Rutte said today: 5 percent. What do you think? The outcome we want to achieve is to protect Canada, protect Canadian sovereignty. The world has changed significantly. I was at the G7 finance ministers. Clearly, there's a lot of discussion around defense spending that's going to be needed to collectively ensure the defense of our respective countries. But on the other end, it's smart investments, because we need to make sure what we're going to invest is going to serve to protect our sovereignty, build our armed forces, but at the same time, rebuild our industrial base in the country. Because we need to have a stronger defense industrial base here. You need to do smart procurement, smart investment and a smart approach to defense spending. We need to rebuild our armed forces, we need to rebuild infrastructure. We need to build new defense systems, but we need to do that where we support Canadian industry, Canadian workers and Canadian autonomy. Is that how we're going to get to 5 percent? The discussion now is how we're going to get to 2 percent. But things could change in a month? That goes back to why I think it was wise, prudent for me and the prime minister, to decide that we would have a budget in early fall. I want to bring stability and predictability. With the NATO defense summit coming in June, with the trade dispute we have with the United States, things could shift. Obviously, we have a big exercise around government efficiency. If you look at the big buckets on my radar screen: How can I support the minister of defense to protect Canada, protect our sovereignty and build our industrial defense base and our industrial defense industry? The second bucket is around government efficiencies and how we make a government more efficient, working with the minister of AI. Speaking of the prime minister, how would you describe your working relationship with him? We come from similar backgrounds. In a sense, we've been evolving in different international circles. We know some of the same people. We have this vision about an ambitious, strong and confident Canada. We both come with our experience, our expertise, and a common desire to bring Canada to be the best country and the best economy of the G7. This is no small endeavor. We're very complementary and that's why we get along. I think we will, together with our colleagues at Cabinet, be able to achieve big things. You guys are doing so much stuff so fast. There was a bit of confusion around when there would be a budget. How did that happen? Listen, we came to the conclusion it would be in the best interest of Canada … to bring a serious budget in early fall, once we have more clarity around defense, around the trade war that is happening now in the world, and certainly when we have also initial feedback from our initiatives on government efficiency. For me, this is about responsible government.
