Agriculture committee  Thank you for your question. I'm going to ask Ms. Lapointe to answer.

Agriculture committee  I would say that the language around using the word “infestation” is actually based on the authority we have within the regulations, which speak about declaring an infestation and, as a result, issuing a ministerial order, which was done at the time.

Agriculture committee  Mr. Chair, we are absolutely confident in our long-term domestic potato wart management plan. It has been in place since—

Agriculture committee  No. The long-term management plan was developed and implemented just after the first detection. In 2015, it was modified to align with the federal order that came in 2015. A long-term management plan is an evergreen plan. It is always there, and there is always an opportunity to modify or change it, depending on the evaluation of the results—

Agriculture committee  Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair. I would say that the U.S. does not share Canada's view that there are effective and appropriate risk mitigation measures for fresh potatoes from P.E.I., given the pervasiveness of the potato wart in the province. Both sides are guided by sound science principles.

Agriculture committee  Thank you for the question, Mr. Chair. I would like to ask David Bailey to respond to the specific questions on the findings.

Agriculture committee  As I've clearly articulated, it was not a decision on an export ban. It was the fact that the regulations did not allow us to issue export certificates to the U.S. when there were concerns from the U.S. with respect to the fact that the potatoes were not meeting the requirements of the importing country.

Agriculture committee  Thank you very much for the question. Mr. Chair, we have been working on the potato wart issue with the province and with the stakeholders for a very long time. As the detections came in, we worked and collaborated with industry on the information that was requested. We've had a very strong and extensive relationship with our stakeholders as we have been working on the potato wart issue.

Agriculture committee  Mr. Chair, I think it's important for us to understand that this was not a self-imposed ban. The plant protection regulations state that unless we meet the requirements of an importing country, we cannot issue export certificates. The conversations we were having—

Agriculture committee  The conversations we were having—

Agriculture committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to address AGRI committee members today. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that I'm addressing you from Ottawa, on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin nation. I will address the committee in English, but I invite members to raise their questions or share their comments in the official language of their choice.

Industry committee  Thank you for the issues you have identified around the regulations and CFIA. CFIA is not only taking the opportunity right now to look at regulations, but has been doing so over the last year or so, as we have looked at regulatory modernization. If you go back to the regulatory modernization and some of the information out there, we have looked at regulatory review, the burdens, obstacles around regulations and how we will move forward.

Industry committee  Yes, the BSE submission is still a top priority, despite the COVID-19 crisis.

Industry committee  The Health of Animals Act and regulations are really focused on disease only. What we are talking about in this certain circumstance is an issue where this is humane slaughter, so I would say that I'd like to defer to my colleague, Chris Forbes. Maybe he can shed some light on this.

Industry committee  Madam Minister, you are absolutely right. We are working on an agreement with provinces to look at interprovincial trade.