Colleagues, as you know, today we're here regarding Standing Order 81(5) and doing the supplementary estimates (B) for 2014-15 in regard to votes 1b, 5b, and 10b under Agriculture and Agri-Food, which were referred to this committee back on November 5.
Colleagues, with us today we are privileged to have the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Gerry Ritz.
Welcome, Minister.
With him are a number of his colleagues from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food: Greg Meredith, Andrea Lyon, and Pierre Corriveau.
Welcome to each of you.
As you know, the minister is here for the first hour. The departmental folks are going to stay and will be with us for questions during the second hour also.
Without any further ado, we will move forward. I'll ask the minister to open with a statement, please.