I never said that farm producers were not smart enough to make the right choices, but it must be noted that, in many countries where companies like Monsanto and other biotechnology firms are doing business, people are indeed becoming dependent. Producers do not even have the right to use their own seeds to grow their crops. So they do not always have a choice.
I will now turn to Ms. Sharratt.
You know that our committee has discussed Bill C-474, which is sponsored by MP Alex Atamanenko. There is the case of Argentina, where they have a licensing process for the commercialization of genetically modified seeds. Argentina assesses the potential negative impact new modified seeds might have on the export market. We have heard many comments about possible lawsuits by other countries, but I have done some research and was not able to find any country, whether before the WTO or other organizations, that have taken action against Argentina because it had added that assessment to its licensing protocol for the export of genetically modified seed. They conduct a market study or risk assessment before approving a product for export. They even have an agreement with the European Union.
Without being totally against all of these biotechnologies, do you feel that these technologies should be better regulated in order to provide us with greater assurance, which is the objective of the Cartagena protocol that Canada is refusing to sign, and to alleviate peoples' concerns on these issues?