Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I guess that's my concern. It's that Mr. Easter, while he did deliver an eloquent soliloquy that was well rehearsed, didn't actually address the issues we are here today to talk about. On this side, we're more than happy to get down to the truth of this, to show a little professionalism. Let's have the CFIA come to the table and sit down, and ask them whatever questions you want to ask in that regard. If you want to have further witnesses come forward, we're more than happy to do that, but let's have a level of debate here and not go on a bunch of assumptions.
My problem with this motion is that they've already coined the debate with a whole bunch of assumptions that are surrounded by zero facts. I think the most pertinent thing and the most responsible thing for us to do as members of Parliament would be to have the CFIA come forward today, sit down with them and ask them some questions, and if Mr. Easter has a list of other witnesses prepared that he'd like to ask questions of, fine, then move forward with a motion after that.
Once again, he's moving forward with assumptions and motions and he hasn't even taken the time to get all the facts straight on this stuff. That is what concerns me.
We have one of the safest food inspection standards in the world. There are 200 more inspectors this year than there were last year. There's $113 million more this year than there was last year. Let's get some of the facts on the table, and if Mr. Easter still wants to move forward with his study, or report, or however he wants to put it, we can discuss it at that time. I think we should be taking the time to discuss facts, as we on this committee have done traditionally in the past.
That's what I would like to see the committee move forward with first, and try to keep some of the partisanship out of this. This is about food safety, and we as a government have led the way on this issue. In our mandate the Prime Minister has been a leader on this in this country and around the world. I think we should move forward with getting to the truth of this matter.