Mr. Speaker, Canada is a recognized world leader in the area of agricultural biotechnology. One of the leading centres for research and development in this area is in Saskatoon where major breakthroughs have been made in many areas of plant breeding and animal research.
However it has been brought to my attention by members of the industry that there are great problems in Canada in registering their new products. Registration rests solely in the hands of federal bureaucracies. What can take days, weeks or months in countries like the United States takes years in Canada. Such delays will result in Canada losing its leadership role in this field.
I urge the ministers responsible for this area to help maintain Canada's world leading role by removing many of the barriers to getting products to the marketplace.