Thank you all for being here and making your presentations.
I have a couple of questions. Then, if there is time left, my colleague can share it.
My question is specifically addressed to Mr. Sherwood, but you can all answer it if you so choose.
During my elected political life, which is somewhat long, I have come to understand that when people make presentations, they want to put their best foot forward in terms of whatever they're presenting on. Sometimes it is not the best-informed foot or best-informing foot. I'm not accusing you, sir, of anything; I just want to tell you where I'm coming from.
In the paragraph of your presentation that begins, “Sweetened beverages are not uniquely linked to obesity”, I sense a bit of that, because what we have heard before this committee is that sugar is one of the serious issues linked to obesity. There's no question there are others, but this paragraph causes me confusion. I want you to tell me how you can say that no single food or beverage has been causally linked to obesity. How can you say that sugar per se--excessive amounts of sugar, or continued consumption of excessive amounts of sugar--is not linked to obesity? It's pretty hard to prove a negative.