Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Ms. Levasseur, I'd like to address you briefly. I have two and a half minutes to tell you that I'm a little concerned about the change in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's mission. I'm afraid that with this change, we're heading toward lower standards rather than higher ones.
As the member of Parliament for a riding representing an agricultural region, I know that produce growers, for example, compete with Mexico, the United States, Chile and Peru. These countries use pesticides that are banned here in Canada. Local produce growers therefore find themselves competing on a totally unfair playing field with countries that use pesticides not approved here, but whose products end up on our shelves anyway.
Agricultural producers are therefore calling for uniform standards. There must be reciprocity in our trade agreement negotiations. It's not right that I can buy a bell pepper from Florida in the United States when I know that in Sherrington or Saint-Michel, two municipalities located a few kilometres away from my home, major Quebec producers grow them, but they can't compete with Florida producers at the same price. This concerns me.
I'm also concerned that Quebec inventors of organic pest control methods, or even methods that harness nature, face significant difficulties getting their inventions recognized, even though they are less polluting and less hazardous to health. They are having trouble making their way, getting recognized by Health Canada and getting their products approved.
The changes related to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will help these people find their way. They're not only looking for ways to be competitive, but also to ensure health, safety and good productivity by using less toxic products.
That said, Ms. Levasseur, I get the impression that the changes made to the agency will serve the interests of the major pesticide lobbies and that they have won the battle. So, if we face a challenge, we'll allow products to be registered quickly, without ensuring health and safety. I'm afraid that the agricultural community is going along with this.
I understood that you weren't necessarily opposed to this, and that worries me.