Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Mr. Chairman, as I've said, we're partway through the investigation and are still in the process of looking at the evidence, so we're not ready with our recommendations yet. But I can tell you that we are looking very specifically into this area and into the new policy.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Mr. Chairman, we will do specific checking and get back.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Mr. Chairman, while we're only partway through our investigation, it would be preliminary for me to give you my view. But I can tell you that we are looking at, for example, the new listeria policy and at the changes that have occurred since the outbreak and assessing those against what other countries are doing, and so very much looking at progress to date and what has changed, as well as other factors.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Mr. Chairman, we've had very good cooperation from all parties. We have the additional benefit of having the support of a large amount of documentation, and we have the ability to invite many staff members from all parts of the organizations. We have had good cooperation, and we expect that to continue.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Mr. Chairman, thank you for your question. I'm not a microbiologist—

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  —but I have to tell you that I know more about listeria than I did a few weeks ago. One of the scientists we met with explained it this way, and I hope I get it right, because as I say. I'm not a scientist. Listeria is one of the bugs that...you have to think about it as a house with so many rooms, and if the rooms aren't filled by other bugs, then listeria will move in and fill the rooms.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  I apologize for forgetting that part of the question, Mr. Chairman. On the terms of reference, no, I did not have input, but my mandate does give me the power and I do have the resources to get this job done, and I'm absolutely fully committed to getting to the bottom of this.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To date, we've had full cooperation. All individuals we have called, whom we've asked to meet with, have agreed to meet with us and have been fully participative. We have many more sessions scheduled, and so far we've had full cooperation.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll speak first about the broad topic of consumer confidence. I couldn't agree with you more. This is something that's top of my mind, and I strongly believe that the public wants to know how this happened. We have to tell them the story of exactly what happened and when it happened and why it happened.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  I believe the question was whether Canadians will see value for money with this review. I want to say as strongly as I can that I believe this will be a substantive report with concrete, detailed findings. This is something that Canadians care a lot about. They are anxious to hear how it happened and get to the bottom of it and hear recommendations.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  To be consistent with our terms of reference, my report, my findings, and my recommendations are submitted to the minister. Regarding follow-up on the report, this is a question to be directed to Minister Ritz.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  I believe the process we have set up is fair and effective. We do not have the power of subpoena, but no individual has refused to meet with us in an investigative interview. We have had extraordinarily good cooperation. People have been more than willing to come forward and tell us their views on what happened and to provide relevant documentation.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  Our budget is $2 million. If I may, I'll get back to you tomorrow on the exact number of people.

Subcommittee on Food Safety committee  I don't have the exact number, but we can get that for you, probably before the end of the session. I believe it's around 20.