Thanks, Mr. Chair. Thank you, gentlemen.
My first question is to the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers. Much of your presentation was on the cost of compliance in several areas. I'll not go into them, but do you know what happens in the U.S. in that regard?
Some of the inspection fees that we have in Canada through CFIA and other agencies, if they were operating under the U.S. government policy, would be paid for by the government, and they are GATT green. In this area of anti-terrorism and security measures, do you know the policy in the United States and do you know if it's GATT green?
I heard you say these costs are not passed on to farmers, but in one way or another, they are--not directly, but in one way or another they are, so if they can be picked up under a GATT green program, maybe that's what we ought to be doing.
While you're thinking about that one, I'll ask the Canadian Bankers Association the other one. You made the case, I think, that whatever programs we come up with have to be basically predictable and bankable. My feeling is that although we don't know the details--the government is slow in getting us the details--the savings account program is likely the right idea. It's likely a NISA-type program.
If this is going to be similar to the previous NISA--which we're not sure of, but I think it will be--did you have any problems in the banking industry with the previous NISA savings account program that we ought to be aware of before this one is brought into play?
Those are my two questions, Mr. Chair.