International Trade committee  I think the problem with our seed is that it is specifically developed for our climatic zones, so our lentil seed from Canada would fail to produce any seed in Colombia. Also, the problem they have in Colombia is that their farmers aren't sufficiently educated to farm lentils. T

International Trade committee  You're welcome. Because it was Friday when I got called, I wasn't able to submit the presentation. Now I can submit one via the Internet or e-mail it later to the clerk. Would that be fine, Mr. David? Then it would be available for people to have it translated and read once agai

International Trade committee  That's right, yes. We are exporters of pulses and pedigreed seed production.

International Trade committee  Oh, okay. That's good.

International Trade committee  I think we may get some additional growth. One of the things the U.S. has been doing is producing a different calibre. They have a mid-sized calibre, and I think we could probably compete in that same size and likely increase by possibly another 10,000 tonnes. Keep in mind also t

International Trade committee  Yes, I think there's been good consultation. I know Pulse Canada has been involved. I know that people in Agriculture Canada have been working directly with the buyers from Colombia to hear their concerns about moving forward with a negotiated trade agreement.

International Trade committee  That's right.

International Trade committee  That would be the United States.

International Trade committee  It's actually about 57,000 metric tonnes.

International Trade committee  Oh, okay; their total import is 68,000, yes.

International Trade committee  Yes, we want to have freer trade. Right now the special crop sector has around $80 million in annual sales. So if we reduced that by 15%, we'd be seeing somewhere around $16 million in lost revenue to Canada. That's a fairly significant number.

International Trade committee  That's correct.

International Trade committee  What would happen is that Canadian farmers would be disadvantaged by 15%. In the case of lentils, that would be $135 per metric tonne. It is my conclusion that the buyers in South America—and we've spoken to them many times—would shift their demand from Canada to the United State

International Trade committee  I feel that our role here in Canada, number one, is to have a standard, and I think wherever we go, we have a standard that a lot of people in the world can look up to. The similarity we have around this table is that we're proud to be Canadian. Many times, with those Canadian pi

International Trade committee  Thank you for that question. I'll do my best to give you a concise answer about what I think would happen in the event that the U.S. Congress moves on the ratification of their agreement before Canada moves. First, what would happen is they would have a 15% advantage on duties.