Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Yes, and Mr. Anderson's office asked me to call Mr. Ritz's office, and I said I preferred to talk to Mr. Anderson's office, and then I got it.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Thank you, Mr. Bellavance. I am the one who played Sherlock Holmes. Mr. Décary-Gilardeau attended the meeting, because after doing all the sleuthing, I was too tired.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  It was difficult to locate her, Mr. Bellavance.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Yes.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  We believe that the principal function of the CFIA is to protect the consumer and that health and safety concerns should outweigh commercial considerations and minuscule savings in government expenditures. We are not against producers and processors earning fair and equitable profits, but not at the cost of the health of Canadians.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  On the role of government in food inspection, Option Consommateurs believes that the Government of Canada has a duty of care. In matters of food safety, the duty of care is to inform and protect citizens from harm by promptly informing the public when a contaminated product is identified and to order a prompt recall.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Thank you. Mr. Chairman, vice-chairmen, committee members, clerk of the committee, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by thanking you for giving us this opportunity to appear before you on the question of food safety and the listeria outbreak of 2008. With me today is François Décary-Gilardeau, who is an analyst in the head office in Montreal.

Finance committee  We ask that the results of the investigation being conducted by the Competition Bureau on the practices of Visa and MasterCard under section 79 be made public and open to discussions; that the Competition Bureau initiate an investigation into profit levels; that the Department of Finance undertake a consultation on electronic funds transfer; and that clear and mandatory rules be established for account statements.

Industry committee  We ask that the results of the investigation being conducted by the Competition Bureau on the practices of Visa and MasterCard under section 79 be made public and open to discussions; that the Competition Bureau initiate an investigation into profit levels; that the Department of Finance undertake a consultation on electronic funds transfer; and that clear and mandatory rules be established for account statements.

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Rajotte. Committee chairs, vice-chairs, committee members, the clerks of the committee, and analysts, let me begin by thanking you for giving Option consommateurs the opportunity to appear before you on the issue of fees charged to merchants and to consumers for the use of credit and debit cards.

Industry committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Rajotte. Committee chairs, vice-chairs, committee members, the clerks of the committee, and analysts, let me begin by thanking you for giving Option consommateurs the opportunity to appear before you on the issue of fees charged to merchants and to consumers for the use of credit and debit cards.

Health committee  Madam Chair, I will answer for Options consommateurs. We agree that, yes, a fine is a very good deterrent. I think the heavier the penalty, the merrier. But I think public disclosure, or what the British call “naming and shaming”, is probably a better deterrent than a financial penalty, because in the long term it will have an impact on the earnings of the company and the shareholders will not be very pleased.

Health committee  Members of the committee, the consumers of Canada need Bill C-6, but it is only a first step. Every day Canadians buy a variety of consumer products that are imported into Canada from all over the world. These include toys, clothing, tools, and electronics. Their number is legion.

Finance committee  Yes. We sent it.

Finance committee  Our statement was sent to your office this morning, but you were not there.