Thank you very much for the question.
Nanotechnology has been a subject of interest to scientists and to Canadians, I think, as we seek to understand the science better, to develop the science better, and to understand how that will impact on our regulatory programs, such as the ones we run in Health Canada.
In May 2007, the former Minister of Health commissioned the Council of Canadian Academies to conduct an assessment on the state of knowledge regarding nanomaterials, so again, it's that first step of pulling together the information. Then there was a report produced by the Council of Canadian Academies, entitled “Small is Different: A Science Perspective on the Regulatory Challenges of the Nanoscale”. Again, it was trying to pull that together.
I think that was a starting point for some of the activities we're doing now. That report suggested that we look to build capacities in research, standard-setting, international collaboration, and risk assessment. Those are things we're now pursuing both domestically and internationally.
Most recently, we've produced a working definition of nanomaterials. We're one of the first regulatory communities in the world to take that step so that we can define what we're dealing with. We now have a consistent set of approaches we can apply using that definition across the department.
We're also strengthening our regulatory framework. We're undertaking a more comprehensive legislative and regulatory analysis to understand in this new world—the emerging world of nanotechnologies—whether there are changes we need to be making. We're doing that review. We're looking also at the question of policy guidelines and whether those need to be adjusted as a result of this.
We also recognize this is not an issue that is unique to Canada. We're very much contributing to international efforts to build the evidence base. We're working with our regulatory partners elsewhere and looking to understand the nanoproperties, the exposure, and the potential adverse health events. We're also participating in some international work on developing standardized nomenclature. Often it seems like it's not a very interesting part of the issue, but being able to standardize definitions and terms is quite important for measuring and potentially regulating these kinds of substances.
I think there is a comprehensive plan in place, but it is an area that is still developing, so we will continue to work both domestically and internationally as the science develops.