Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to all of you for being here.
I'd like to address my first question to Mr. Laycraft in regard to CETA. As have many Canadians, I've been studying this potential trade agreement, and there's a number of issues that have been flagged that I'm concerned with. Among them are subnational contracts, the potential costs of prescription drugs, the threat for potential to supply management. In the area of agriculture, there's the possible infringement on local procurement, and the whole investors' rights—you know—the ability to sue a municipality. So within this framework of CETA, we're trying to hammer out more access for our agricultural producers, which is good.
My first question is, what is our current access to Europe in regard to beef? I know that in the organic sector, we had an outfit in Alberta that was exporting organic beef, and I think it was something like 20,000 head. I'm not sure where we're at with that, if that's still happening.
Also the concerns that Europeans have in regard to GMOs, is there a push back in regard to our cattle being fed GMO feed and will that have an effect on us getting access to the export market? That's my first question.
The second question is for Mr. Vincent. We know that there are obstacles in Europe to the pork sector and that they now have a 0.5% quota, if I understood correctly.
In your opinion, are efforts being made at the negotiations to increase that quota, and does this mean that we will have to change our supply management system? In short, are you aware of what is going on in the negotiations?
I'll leave those two questions and see what you can come up with.
Mr. Laycraft.