I call the meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting 10 of the House of Commons Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China relationship.
Pursuant to the order of reference of May 16, 2022, the committee is meeting on its study of the Canada–People’s Republic of China relationship, with a focus on the exposure of Canadian investment funds to Chinese equities and bonds linked to human rights violations for the first hour, before going in camera for committee business.
Today’s meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the House order of June 23, 2022. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely by using the Zoom application.
For the benefit of the witnesses and members, I have a few comments at the start.
Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mike and please mute yourself when you are not speaking. For interpretation for those on Zoom, you have the choice, at the bottom of your screen, of “floor”, “English” or “French”. For those in the room, you can use the earpiece and select the desired channel.
I remind you that all comments should be addressed through the chair.
For members in the room, if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.
In accordance with the committee's routine motion concerning connection tests for witnesses, I can inform the committee that all witnesses have completed the required connection tests in advance of the meeting.
I would like to welcome Mr. Schmale, who is wearing a blank look right now, but I'm sure he will be joining us in due course.
I will welcome our witnesses for this first hour. We have, as individuals, Carl Breau, chief executive officer of Saimen Inc.; Charles Burton, senior fellow, Centre for Advancing Canada's Interests Abroad in the Macdonald-Laurier Institute; and Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, senior fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and Institute for Science, Society and Policy, University of Ottawa.
Mr. Breau, we will start with you. You have five minutes for your opening statement. Keep an eye on your monitor. Unless you have yourself timed, I will give you the old standard floor director's “just about time to wrap it up” signal.
You can begin now for five minutes. Thank you, sir.