I'd like to get some more detail about Bill C-51. The minister mentioned that it would be coming back in front of the committee. In her remarks she demonstrated a strong commitment to keeping people well and to disease prevention, and that's what natural products practitioners and industry believe their products do. Mr. Rosenberg, I'm sure you're aware that despite the reassurances that natural products would remain available, there was great concern across Canada about Bill C-51.
I have a series of questions that will be pretty quick to answer. With your indulgence, I'll read them all out. The perspective I'm most familiar with is the practitioners'. I know you've consulted with health products industries, but the practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, the naturopathic physicians, and other complementary health practitioners were concerned that they would lose access to some of the products that they believe are essential for their patients.
I have five questions. One, has Health Canada consulted with the associations representing the complementary health practitioners?
Two, if Health Canada has not consulted these associations, is Health Canada planning a fuller consultation before reintroducing this bill with its amendments? I think they need to address the complaint that little consultation was done regarding an extensive rewrite of a very complex act.
Three, will Health Canada be removing natural products from the same category as pharmaceutical drugs? I know this was one of the key requests, but there were many other concerns.
Four, is Health Canada investing in research into natural products and complementary medicine modalities? Unlike the products of pharmaceutical companies, primarily natural products and natural medicine are a public good. There isn't a private benefit from that research, so there isn't the incentive for the private sector to do it, and we need more of it. I know that the natural and complementary practitioners would like this, too.
Lastly, how is the $12 million of additional voted appropriation being allocated? Thank you.