Good morning, everyone. I'd like to call this meeting to order, please.
This is the 39th meeting of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. Pursuant to Standing Orders 110 and 111, we are dealing with the order-in-council appointment of Konrad von Finckenstein to the position of chairperson of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, referred to the committee on February 22, 2007.
I welcome Mr. von Finckenstein here this morning.
Before we take your presentation, sir, and the questioning, I would just like to remind the committee of our House of Commons procedure and practice when we interview a candidate such as Mr. von Finckenstein:
The scope of a committee's examination of Order-in-Council appointees or nominees is strictly limited to the qualifications and competence to perform the duties of the post. Questioning by members of the committee may be interrupted by the Chair, if it attempts to deal with matters considered irrelevant to the committee's inquiry. Among the areas usually considered to be outside the scope of the committee's study are the political affiliation of the appointee or nominee, contributions to political parties and the nature of the nomination process itself. Any question may be permitted if it can be shown that it relates directly to the appointee's or nominee's ability to do the job.
With that, Mr. von Finckenstein, you have the floor, sir.