Thanks, Chair.
I want to take a moment to clarify how some government funding is delivered to programs such as AFMNet. I think Mr. Easter knows this, but he's playing politics with the issue, and I think he needs to be clear how the money is actually allocated.
This year our government is providing a record amount, $11.7 billion, in science and technology. This of course is going to create jobs. It's going to improve the quality of life for Canadians. Some of that money gets invested in agricultural research programs.
The most important element of this, though, is that AFMNet is funded through the Networks of Centres of Excellence, the NCE. The NCE receives money or funding from the federal government, but the NCE is an independent, arm's-length agency based on a peer review board.
Mr. Easter, you're shaking your head, but you would know this quite well. The funding for AFMNet started back in 2003, so you should have been aware of this.
The decision to fund AFMNet is not made by the government. The funding decision is made by NCE, the Networks of Centres of Excellence, based on the applications they receive. They are independent. They are third party. They are at arm's length.