Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister.
A few weeks ago, we were at the Standing Committee on Finance together and you mentioned something to me that I found interesting. You said that you did not want to go down in history as the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food who made cuts to science and research. However, the figures do not lie, and the difference is striking: the budget of $750 million will be reduced to $300 million by 2028–2029.
How can you justify cuts to research in science and innovation? For example, in organic farming, crops are now being grown on sites where scientific research used to take place; however, because of the cuts, years of research are being lost, research contracts are being terminated and data are being lost forever.
What will history remember about you, Mr. MacDonald?