Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister and others, for joining us today.
When you opened, Mr. Minister, you talked about what happened last summer as a tragedy, in anyone's definition. I don't think anyone would disagree with that. I want to talk a little bit about the investments I think we have made, not just then, but now. If I get a chance, I may talk about some of the responsibilities, because as you said, all levels of government work together to build food safety systems and policies. The government also works with players throughout the food chain that make the system work, from farmers to processors, retailers, and to our kitchen counters. That is the full value in terms of trying to understand food safety from start to finish, to the plate, most basically.
Minister, I'm going to talk about some of the investments we've made and I'll ask you to expand on those. I think Canadians appreciate not only what you have done, but what the Prime Minister has done in terms of some of the steps that were needed to be taken to improve food safety, not only in the past but for all Canadians now. I too am a father and a grandfather, by the way, and every day, as your grandchildren now make their lunches and often use packaged meats, these are concerns--not only for the elderly, but certainly for us who are a little older who have a very young generation following us.
I'd like touch on a few concerns in budget 2008, where you allocated, Minister, $113 million for food and product safety. I understand part of that included the hiring of some 200 new inspectors. In 2009 you allocated $250 million for improving our federal labs, and I think that's significant; we hear this from others. In fact, some of the panel members have told us how important the improvement of our laboratories is. CFIA has taken some criticism, but they have also introduced mandatory environmental testing for listeriosis.
Minister, that's something you brought back in. When we listen to all the complaints on the other side, actually it was the Liberals who cut that. They took it out in 2005 because they really didn't think food safety was important. When I listen today in the House, when they talk about creating all their surpluses, well, in fact this is how you create surpluses, Minister. They cut out the security of food safety for Canadians, along with other things. We've not done that. I want to thank you for introducing and bringing back that testing.
CFIA has also increased its testing and training. I think we need to talk a little bit about the training and how that all fits in. You originally signed agreements with the provinces for a new “growing forward” framework and for an agricultural policy that includes an almost unprecedented federal investment of almost $100 million for food safety systems. I think the next part is the traceability initiatives. Also, in budget 2009, through your initiative, we added another $50 million. Although it may seem on the side, this was for slaughter capacity. That money is meant mainly to help improvements in technology and food safety.
Mr. Minister, as we listen today I'm wondering if I can get you to help all Canadians. It is about the past, but the past brings about a new future in terms of what we can do and what we can help to do to help prevent another situation like the one that happened last summer. I'm wondering if I could get you to expand a little bit in terms of some of those commitments, particularly those you had the most initiative in bringing forward in terms of food safety.