Thank you for your presentation and for being here.
Mr. Geist, I was a bit surprised by your comment on the pharmaceuticals, that maybe the problem isn't huge—although you're not supporting counterfeiting in any way—because we only know of one death. What we don't know is how many people might have had the loss of expected outcomes. People who might have been buying counterfeit pharmaceuticals who were not having the outcomes they thought, thinking they're getting treatment and taking care of their health and not doing it. I think that's another area where we're fearful. We had people talking to us last time about the electrical equipment out there, safety electrical equipment that you buy thinking you're protecting yourself, and then it is counterfeit and substandard. If we're not looking for it, we wouldn't know.
But the question I want to put to you is on the enforcement side. I find it difficult. I agree with strengthening laws and strengthening the fines and these things. But one element that wasn't suggested in the areas that we should attack is the resellers, because a lot of these goods, especially the large amounts of imports, are being sold through our large chain stores or through those things, probably inadvertently. But I would think that the responsibility would be to the person who is selling it to the consumer, that there is a level of responsibility there. Somebody in the chain made too much profit. Somebody in the chain at one point made a lot more money on the goods than they would have if they had sourced a legitimate good.
So I think that might be an area we should perhaps include. I put the question to you. Is that an area you would recommend we include in recommendations for legislation or adding to the Criminal Code.