I'm wondering where to begin.
On your first question on why to consider harmonization, international cooperation and harmonization is potentially a smart way to do business and to gain access to all the best knowledge and best practices around the world. We have to do it.
I would say we have an incredibly high level of scientific expertise in Canada. We're very well respected for the quality of the work we do and the quality of the decisions we make. It's why we're at the table, with countries around the world, having these kinds of discussions. They respect our opinions and our perspectives on this.
On potential trade issues, the maximum residue limits occasionally result in trade issues at borders because one or the other country is concerned there are residues above a limit on imported foods. The question is this. Are those concerns always based on a health concern, or is it simply because there is an administrative difference or a very small difference in the numbers that is causing a trade issue?
It's right to say we need to do a lot more research and information gathering on the extent to which these trade issues are substantial and important. We've said human health is our primary importance and trade won't trump human health.
In terms of citizen engagement, I want to mention that in our agency we certainly recognize that we all have to do more collectively to engage our constituents and our stakeholders in what we're doing. About six months ago we set up a specific stakeholder engagement section within the agency. Its specific purpose is to make sure we do enough outreach to engage stakeholders, to inform them as much as possible on some of the proposed changes, and to be as open and transparent as we can be within the kinds of discussions we're having.