Thank you, Chair.
I'd like to thank the witnesses for their participation at committee in this study and consultation on the food strategy.
Canada produces the best quality food, and other countries want some of it. We have a safe food system, but once again, we have a lot of people who live in food insecurity. We have 900,000 people who use food banks every month. Food banks were created to be a short-term solution. Every time I meet with my community groups and food banks, I hear that every single year the use of these banks goes up. It changes a little: it's seniors; it's young families; it's the working poor; it's precarious workers.
We talked about social policy and ag policy, and we have an ag panel on right now. As you said, Mr. Lemaire, I think the government needs to look at making sure that people can afford the food. Farmers are working hard, and they are struggling sometimes to make ends meet. We have to make sure that Canadians can afford the food. Looking at $15 an hour minimum wage, or basic income.... There are other things that the government needs to do to reduce poverty in Canada.
I would be remiss if I didn't bring up PACA. I bring it up a lot at committee. I know Bev was around when we talked a lot about PACA. We've been on the committee for a few years.
PACA is still.... Who knows where PACA is? This is something we brought up quite a few times at committee. We've had many meetings on it. There have been studies on it. I think all parties were okay and promised it during the election campaign. I know things change when you form government, but it's been two years. I must admit that I'm getting frustrated, even more so because we are renegotiating NAFTA. We know that, with Trump, anything can change in a tweet. Do we believe him, or do we not believe him?
Mr. Lemaire, could you talk to us about the importance of PACA as a tool, even more so now? I would like to have your comments about PACA, please.