Thank you, Madam Chair.
Good morning and welcome, Minister.
The government had given itself until the month of December 2009 to complete the licensing process for natural health products. You also appeared before this committee on February 10, 2009, and you were asked whether the government could meet that deadline. You responded "In terms of natural health products, this government is committed to eliminating the backlog of product applications by March 2010." You were even more specific in an answer to your colleague from Barrie when you said "Our government is committed to eliminating the backlog by March 2010." The month of March 2010 ends in 15 days.
In the supplementary estimates (B) from last fiscal year, you established a fund of slightly over $9 million to reduce the backlog. In the supplementary estimate (C) or the same overall budget for the year 2010-2011, there is no additional funding for this.
Does this mean, minister, that you can commend yourself for having reduced and eliminated the backlog while meeting the deadline you had set and referred to before this committee?