Industry committee  Just as a brief comment, we're not going to change the fact that there's going to be competition in the world. The ability to or the rate at which we can change our own organizations, our own products, our own processes, so that we can be on a development and growth curve faster than that of our competition is how we maintain advantage.

Industry committee  Just as an expansion on some of the things that have been said, the border crossing that we have here was operating at very close to capacity even before 9/11. Any hiccup that took place would create slowdowns, backups, and huge issues getting across. Then 9/11 happened, and now customs activity and Homeland Security actions can, at any point in time, create larger backup.

Industry committee  I believe it needs a whole review, but something that translates itself into more direct input into providing some support for the costs associated with that. I'll be honest. It's been a while since I've looked through the details of the program, but from what I understand of them, they are basically tax credits to be received or to offset against the taxes paid on net income.

Industry committee  I can maybe begin to respond as far as the cost of crossing is concerned. Of the product that we manufacture here in Canada at our facilities, about 80% to 85% of it goes across to the U.S. To the extent that it becomes more expensive, both through the actual outlay of costs to get across the border and, as I mentioned before, the infrastructure we have to have in place to smoothly get product across the border, it reduces our competitiveness against other businesses.

Industry committee  Yes. Just to add to that, it's proven in economic analyses across developing countries in the world that any country relying solely upon natural resources for economic growth does not have a sustainable model. You have to develop an infrastructure of industry and an infrastructure of services so that there is something left when the natural resources are gone.

Industry committee  It's not something I was aware of, but it doesn't surprise me. On the issues we have seen as far as the holdups and the problems at crossing the border are concerned, it's a continual stream. Just this week, we were faced with the fact that there was a change in the way Customs was handling all of the trucks crossing the border from Windsor to Detroit.

Industry committee  I'll try to give you my perspective on that. It's critical that our industry in particular, but also all industries in Canada, has a significant investment—and by “significant investment”, I mean that we need to get to the level of 5% to 10% of our sales dollars on an annual basis—invested in the development of new products and new processes.

Industry committee  First of all, I'd like to thank the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology for including Windsor as one of the cities to hold hearings in. It's important that Windsor's voice be heard, as we are a centre of manufacturing in Canada. My name is Ed Kanters.