When we talk about agriculture, one of the things that has changed in the last while is doing research without having the development or the commercialization attached to it. We've always heard research is on the shelf unless something fantastic comes out of it, and there's no framework to take that research and commercialize it. That becomes a big problem.
We're trying, I think, as a government to rectify that so there is a flow, understanding that most research sometimes goes here and something comes off the side. But there's no framework in which to deal with that. I suspect it has something to do with the complexities in terms of developing in a particular industry.
Agriculture, Madam Auditor General, is one of the most complex.... It is one of the most intriguing industries. Not many years ago we grew crops for food. We're now growing crops for food, for energy, for the pharmaceuticals, and for industry. All of this started to develop over the past number of years, and we still grow them for food. So now we've been able to do further research to try to commercialize these products. We still end up with the food products because that's a significant part. It separates this industry from any other industry in Canada because it's one of sustaining humanity.
So when I look at the scientific research—the 2010 strategic action plan, which you just mentioned, will come forward, and we'll have the opportunity.... Are you encouraged at least to see that, recognizing some of the things I just talked about in terms of an amazing industry? In terms of the steps forward, do you see those as positive, moving ahead in a timeline, at least following what Mr. Christopherson laid out? It's a frustrating process, quite honestly.