Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good afternoon and thank you for welcoming us today.
We have already delivered the message we bring this afternoon to other forums. In some respects, it is more or less the same, but reiterating and reformulating the message always remains an interesting challenge. Given the structure of the UPA, the Union des producteurs agricoles, my comments will be broader in nature than those of my colleague. We will have the opportunity to address our expectations from various perspectives and we'll talk about the strategic framework that we have become familiar with over the last few years.
As far as the UPA's expectations are concerned regarding the Canadian program, they are more or less in line with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture's, that is:
[...] the future depends on a real agricultural policy that will provide producers with the means to earn reliable income from the market. Canada cannot build an agri food sector at their expense. It is essential that farms have the ability to be profitable.
Tis is a very significant issue for us. Agricultural businesses must be put into an economic situation that allows them to build a certain profitability over time. This would include special temporary measures, but above all the creation of a beneficial and positive economic context that will allow agricultural businesses to develop and to reach the threshold of profitability. To be successful, we need programs that are supported by various pillars, including strategic growth based especially on science and innovation. I'm thinking here of the renewal program.
Can you hear me well?