Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd certainly like to thank my colleague, Mr. Julian, for bringing up the fact that Ontario is still struggling to get back from the NDP government we had in the early nineties and the fact that those studies started in late 1989 and moved on. We were driven so far behind that we almost became a have-not province. I can say that Mr. Harris came in, in 1995, and tried to correct it and provide a solution, and we had $25 billion cut in transfer payments from the federal government at that point in time, so I think all things considered—
When you look at figures and how you want to spin them, I think it does remain that families are still trying to get back from the 1990s. It was that NDP government in Ontario that almost killed Ontario permanently. I do want to mention that and put it on the record.
We've had some groups come in and talk to us and say we shouldn't be trading with the U.S. I guess my concern is always that no one ever provides a solution or provides another—I don't know whether they think we're going to get all our trade with Chile or where it's going to come from, because it's always just naysayers, etc.
There are two points I want to question again. When we look at harmonization of pesticides, I would assume that one of the reasons we're looking at that is because our farmers—I know certainly in my area, and I know Mr. Maloney would maybe say the same thing--have concerns about the unfair advantage they have in not being able to compete. I would suggest that one of the reasons we are looking at the possibility of harmonization on some of these issues is we're trying to be more competitive. Have you been led to believe that this is one of the reasons, as we look at this issue of pesticides? Does it come from stakeholders such as farmers and other groups that deal with these things?