Budget 2016 set out a number of initiatives that are under way, including an investment in rural connectivity aimed at improving rural communities' ability to use different tools. I think the government also wanted to take stock of the outcome of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, as part of its consultation process. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Minister of International Trade, and their parliamentary secretaries criss-crossed the country to gauge where stakeholders stood.
I should mention that, as far as trade agreements and agriculture are concerned, Canada exports more than half of its agricultural products, so the new international market access opportunities are very significant. That was a major element, at least in my area of responsibility, given the government's desire to proceed as quickly as possible with the implementation of the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The idea was to consult the sector on measures that would help those negatively impacted by the agreement—meaning, in this case, cheesemaking and dairy sector stakeholders—adapt to the market access granted under the agreement. Also in mind was the eventual implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, in terms of hearing what stakeholders thought, what the issues were, and how they would be able to benefit.