Thank you.
The next question deals with the magnitude of this agreement.
As you alluded, Ms. Campbell, we're talking about approximately $20 trillion and close to 800 million people. We have CETA, which involves about $17.5 trillion and 500 million people. NAFTA is about $17 trillion and 450 million people. Canada, if we were able to secure this agreement, would have the most impressive free trade regime, rules-based trading partners, and opportunities around the world. I'm excited about that. I think it's a great opportunity.
The challenge is that as we move ahead, as was alluded to, we want to move with slow steps to make sure that it's in the best interests of all Canadians. When we had CETA, there were concerns from the generics manufacturers about the cost of pharmaceuticals. We had a report issued by the Conference Board that talked about how Canada's business expenditures and research and development in pharmaceuticals are less than half the average. We need to provide more attractive opportunities. I think that comes with a reasonable and balanced approach.
All these agreements are great, but we need to encourage and engage Canadian businesses and take advantage of these opportunities. The government can get out of the way and level the playing field and remove the red tape, per se. From your organizations' perspective, what can you do to help government and your organizations? What are you doing to encourage them to take advantage of these free trade agreements?