Mr. Chair, thank you.
Chris, it's great to see you again, and Madam Walker, welcome.
As you know, Chris, the agriculture committee has been studying the African swine flu outbreak. To use a very vernacular phrase, this could be very, very bad. In China, depending on whom you speak to, a third to half of their livestock hogs have been culled or will be culled. It's expanding into Vietnam. There are concerns about it in Hong Kong. There are isolated cases in other parts.
We've been studying the issue here at committee, and I believe the department has also been looking at it and dealing with international stakeholders. One, are we prepared for this? What are we doing to make sure we don't have it here in Canada? And two, if it does come here—God forbid—what will we do in response?