I'll just start on that and maybe I'll get Theresa to speak to the importance of why we should do it now.
In this process in the committee, it sounds as if you will perhaps be considering some ways to make the legislation clearer in terms of our intent. Our intent is clear. I'm on the record, we're on the record, the government is on the record on how we plan to proceed. Quite honestly, my personal integrity is on the record in dealing with this. But no legislator should depend on that; I'm not suggesting it at all. If there are ways to make that intent clear and explicit in the legislation, obviously we would welcome that.
I would be concerned about further delay beyond that, taking it back and starting over. There's been work on this and the need for it has been recognized for at least a decade. There has been work around animal pathogens. We are better at controlling animal pathogens in this country than human ones, or have a better understanding of the things that kill sheep and cattle in this country than humans, when it comes to regulation. We do regulate imports and exports. We do regulate transport of these things. But at half the labs in this country, nobody really has a clear handle on this.
So in terms of the importance of this, I'll turn to Theresa and then will come back to you, Madam.