Thank you, Professor, for coming before us, and thank you to all of the witnesses.
There is concern, and it has partly been addressed by Mr. Lemieux, that plant breeders are given rights, while farmers' seed-saving is reduced to a privilege.
You addressed this, Professor.
The minister maintains that this is a misunderstanding and that farmers will continue their abilities to save and clean seed as before.
My question is this, and I'm quoting the minister. The minister assures this committee that:
The farmer's right to save seed for future planting is protected and includes storage and/or cleaning of the seed. This is why it is important to update to UPOV 91 standards. A farmer does not need to seek permission from the rights holder to store farm-saved seed for replanting in future years. Let me repeat that: a farmer does not need to seek permission. Recognizing this fact, our government has heard from stakeholders that the language could be improved to make it absolutely clear that storage of seed by the farmer is included in farmer's privilege. Our government will be bringing forward an amendment in that vein.
He goes on to say that confusion comes from the different language spoken as between lawyers and farmers; in other words, they don't speak the same language.
Now, I'm a lawyer. You teach at the university I went to. Can you speak to that linguistic uncertainty? Is there a difference between “privilege” and “right”? Would you change the wording of the legislation to make it clear?