Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It is regrettable that Ms. Gallant continues to try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear; however, this is her usual contemptuous attitude. No one can seriously believe that splitting this bill so that the various parts can be studied separately in committee is the same thing as reviewing these parts without any possibility of bringing amendments.
That being said, I would like to thank the witnesses for being here. I have far too many questions for the amount of time I am given; however, I will start right away with the issue of patents and industrial design.
Previously, when we studied the issue of intellectual property here in committee, no witnesses mentioned the fact that there was a connection between what was proposed at the time and the government's recommendations regarding our compliance with treaties. What connections can be made there, in your opinion? Did the government proceed unilaterally, of its own volition? Otherwise, is there really a link to be made with treaties that were signed, such as the Geneva (1999) Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs?