Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman.
Thanks to all of our witnesses here today. This is an issue that has been wanted for a long time. It is, as somebody pointed out, good to see that everybody basically is on the same page.
I have a private member's bill that's being debated at another committee as we sit here. After my questions I'm going to go, so I do apologize for having to leave.
I've been in support of having something--you can call it truth in labelling, call it what you want. But as Mr. Robertson, Mr. Friesen, and I believe others have pointed out, the laws we have now on our “Product of Canada” and what can come under that are definitely deceiving the consumer. I'm in full support, and since my early days on some local farm groups, including the Bruce County cattlemen, I've been pushing for this. Here we are almost 30 years later, and we're still fighting that same battle.
We have asked the minister.... And when I say “we”, that's all of us together. I think it's on all of us here to keep pushing for that. He has agreed to look at it. I think that's good. We have to make sure that it follows through.
I want to point out, too, that I'm not going to get hung up on whether it's “Product of Canada” or what the exact term is at the end of the day. However, it must be clear, concise, and there should be no deception to the consumer, and it certainly should not include the package.
I have two questions, Mr. Friesen, and I thank you for your comments earlier on my article. One question is on the “Grown in Canada” label. I understand that your organization--and I need you to answer this--indicated that you wanted to patent this. If that is the case, do you hope to sell the use of this to producers afterward? Can you comment on that?
It is out there in the public, and I'd just like to have you clear the air on it, if you wouldn't mind.