Thank you, gentlemen. We understand what we're facing here, so hopefully we can get some information.
Here's a question in regard to Tyson and XL Foods. Less than two months ago, you approved the sale of the Tyson beef packing plant to XL Foods. Now XL has closed the only major beef packing plant between Toronto and central Alberta—its Moose Jaw plant. The Canadian Cattlemen's Association says that the closure may be permanent. The association's research arm, CanFax, is quoted as saying that “The closure will lower prices for both fed and non-fed cattle.” The CCA's CanFax also said of the closure, “We're reducing capacity and the plants don't have to go out there and be quite as aggressive on their bids to procure cattle.”
So did the Competition Bureau anticipate this? Did it know that the Tyson-XL sale would lead to less aggressive bidding and lower cattle prices? Isn't that exactly what a Competition Bureau examination is supposed to determine? Did the Competition Bureau fail when it approved the sale?