Thank you, Madam Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here today and for participating in our study. I think this is probably one of the most important studies we've ever done. We've had statistics in front of us. The cost to Canada for chronic diseases is $190 billion per year, so your input is really important.
I want to ask my first question to the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, because you brought up something that I found very interesting. You talked about healthy communities. This past week we were back in the constituency and I attended a luncheon that was put on by a group in Oshawa. They're starting something called “victory gardens”, which used to be grown back in the war, and what they are doing is very cost-effective. We hear about the cost of fruits and vegetables. Well, they are growing their own. It was an excellent luncheon. It was all locally prepared food.
I am wondering what roadblocks are in the way of developing healthy communities. I look at my communities, and I see we are designing communities that have subdivisions where people need to hop in their cars to drive to get their cigarettes and Doritos and bring them back home. I wonder if you could comment a bit more on the concept of healthy communities and partnering with municipal designs. Is there any way you could see the federal government helping in that evolution?