Thank you very much. That's a very good question and it will probably tax me to give a very good answer.
I'll tell you what I think. You're absolutely right: the challenge, of course, is to have an efficient system that allows maximum interoperability in terms of market so that Canadian goods and services can be accepted abroad as quickly and as easily as possible. Of course, there's always a quid pro quo in international arrangements. So there's the international domain and there's also the Canadian dimension. I think you've heard from a number of witnesses in the past several weeks who have raised the issue of barriers to trade among provinces. So, again, all the standards-writing organizations in Canada write the standards, but we don't dictate to anybody how they're used.
The question is how we ensure more effective use of these standards. So every time somebody decides to create a regional variation on a standard, that adds complexity to the system. I'm not challenging them as to why they do it. They may have very good reasons for doing it . For example, we do talk in Canada, and Canada does try. I want to be very clear about this. The CGSB is like every other standards writing organization in Canada accredited by the Standards Council. Our process requires us, at the first instance of developing a standard, to see if there's an existing international ISO or IEC standard. In other words, does something already exist so that we don't have to develop something different? That's what promotes interoperability globally. Don't forget, these standards are written by Canadians who come into the room. It's not CGSB. These are not bureaucrats writing the standards. These are Canadians from industry, from business, from the private sector who are giving their opinion as to whether this standard is acceptable or not and how it should be changed. So when Canadians do this, they have to reflect. There's a bit of a challenge role to make sure that's done. We're actually audited on that. But I have to absolutely agree with you. The complexity of difference adds a cost.
One of the challenges, then, in terms of the regime is how we can do better. It's beyond me, obviously. We will ensure that we can provide a better solution, but even when that solution goes out, there are multiple variations once it goes forward. So there's another level of complexity that really needs to be addressed.
On the international level in terms of Canadian standards, Canada has been a very active participant in ISO for many years. In fact, I would say it's recognized as one of the stronger members of ISO and it has provided great value. But Canada is challenged, because if you look at ISO, I'm not sure what the number is, but there are at least 20,000 standards. There's something like a thousand every year coming forward. These are based on international committees. These are not cheap. So if you want to participate, you have to be at the table. But don't forget that people who represent Canada at those international committees are, again, the same people who are coming out of those standards committees at the national level, from CGSB, from ONGC, from BNQ in Quebec. These are the volunteers who, because of their expertise in that area, will then participate for Canada at the international level.
I guess one of the questions here is how we ensure that we leverage our national system in a strategic way to make sure that we don't miss opportunity, that we have an integrated approach, that we maximize the efficiency of this system, and that we deliver optimal value that benefits Canadians.