Agriculture committee  It's difficult to answer that question, Mr. Chairman. I think there is good faith in the different companies and organizations that have voiced some concerns or that need clarification. I think we are all working towards the development and launch of a code of conduct. We need to ensure that there are no unintended consequences.

Agriculture committee  Maybe I should suggest that you join our steering committee.

Agriculture committee  It's an interesting concept. There's absolutely no question that the large corporations can negotiate. The issue is very much to protect the entire supply chain. I think my colleague here talked about small farmers, small processors, wholesalers and small retailers. They are extremely important to the health of the code.

Agriculture committee  We prefer not to focus on the possibility that it won’t happen. Our planning is based on a commitment from all stakeholders. As I said at the beginning, Mr. Perron, this is a huge undertaking because we’re including everyone. We actually expected some stakeholders to have concerns.

Agriculture committee  You raise a very good point. The major challenge is that many organizations think that this code should be like the one used in England, while other organizations think that adherence to the code should be voluntary and reciprocal. Even if we’re talking about one or two companies, it’s important to know that a huge number of groups have voiced their concerns, and it’s not just retailers.

Agriculture committee  We support it. In fact, I share with CFA's executive director a seat on the steering committee, which is now the interim board for the code of conduct. We are supportive. We understand, though, as I noted in my remarks, that this is an unusual code because it is the only one that includes everybody.

Agriculture committee  Thank you, Mr. Littler. Creating an industry-led code of conduct is a daunting task. While more work remains to be done, the steering committee, which includes us, is encouraged by progress thus far. A code of conduct is not a single document. It is a set of integrated measures that work together to promote fair and ethical trade and contractual certainty.