Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to discuss with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency the circumstances of a number of small businesses in several areas of Quebec and, I would imagine, of small businesses throughout Canada.
By year's end, labelling regulations will apply to all manufactured products, including cottage industry products made using non standardized recipes. The regulations will mean a number of fairly costly adjustments for very small businesses that are strapped for cash and that have low sales volumes.
Has the agency received any complaints from these kinds of businesses about new product labelling requirements? Have you given these businesses some tools to help them overcome the problems associated with the new regulations? Has the agency allowed for some exemptions in certain specific cases?