Thank you, Chair.
I'd like to thank the witnesses for their presentations this morning on this study on genetically modified animals for human consumption.
When the announcement came that GM salmon was accepted in Canada, I think the media and the Canadian population were divided. A lot of Canadians were worried, and there were some people who were interested in this.
I read that in 2010 there was a government-commissioned poll that talked about the concerns of Canadians. The poll showed that 58% of Canadians surveyed did not approve of the genetic modification of fish, 74% disagreed with the development of GM fish that grow faster than non-GM fish, and 58% had little or no confidence in the safety and the regulatory approval system for GM fish.
As it is right now, in Canada, we do not have labelling for genetically modified organisms and animals. We do have a bill that's coming out in the House shortly. My colleague has tabled Bill C-291 for the mandatory labelling of GMOs. We tend to think that Canadians have a right to know what they're eating. When it comes to GMO animals and fish like salmon, I think it's important that when Canadians go to the supermarket, they're aware of what they're buying. This salmon is mixed with eel. What is it mixed with exactly? It's a pout? What percentage of it is salmon and what percentage is pout? The ocean pout is supposed to make it grow twice as fast, correct?