Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First off, I'd like to commend the assistant auditor general and staff. This is a really comprehensive audit and I learned an awful lot going through this. As members of this committee, we certainly can't know everything about every department. And I'm significantly more intelligent now about the process than I was.
I'd also like to commend the deputy minister of health and her department for their ongoing efforts to ensure that drugs sold in this country are safe. I'm a consumer of many. I've had a few problems along the way and I've never had an adverse reaction. As a matter of fact, last week I went to get a prescription and the pharmacist, who knew what other drugs I was on, advised me as to, “No, this isn't really a good mix. You need to not do this one if you're going to do this one.” So I have great confidence in the system.
My question is specifically going to focus on user fees. As the witnesses know, manufacturers of prescription drugs benefit from the regulatory services and oversight provided by Health Canada. They also benefit when consumers know that Health Canada has approved a product. We also understand the importance of cost recovery, particularly when trying to eliminate the deficit while also maintaining low taxes for individuals and businesses.
My question is this. Could the deputy explain what is meant by “increased user fees”? Obviously, at one point there were user fees, and now they have been increased. I'm trying to get a little sense of dollar value. I'm also trying to get a sense of how those increased fees have led to improved performance. You did allude to increased staffing, but I do really want a sense that you have the confidence in your human resource staffing component and their ability to fulfill your obligations that have been determined by the assistant auditor general and his staff.