Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.
I just want to warmly welcome you, Minister. I also want to welcome your officials and thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their extraordinary work over the last couple of years. We know how hard you've worked and we've been very appreciative of the supports you provided to the artists and to the cultural sector.
You mentioned, Minister, that we made a platform commitment around transitional support for the COVID program. I want to read it out for everyone, because I think it's important:
Implement a COVID-19 transitional support program to provide emergency relief to out-of-work artists, craftspeople, creators, and authors who are primarily self-employed or independent contractors.
I wanted to read that out because it's important for us to indicate that it was actually in our platform, that we've made a commitment to fulfill that and that we were the only ones to actually go out and do that.
Minister, I know you've indicated that you have started engaging with stakeholders on fulfilling this commitment. I've already had two round tables with my artists, and most of them are very grassroots. I wonder, Minister, if you could maybe talk a little more about what your process will be in engaging with the arts community regarding these ongoing emergency supports.