I see a quorum.
I welcome everyone to our meeting of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.
There are a couple of things I'd like to bring to your attention before we speak to Mr. Sirman. First of all, I remind the committee that the Honourable Bev Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage, has confirmed that she will appear before the committee on Thursday, June 1, from 3:30 to 4:30.
Today we are pleased to welcome Mr. Robert Sirman to review his certificate of nomination to the position of director of the Canada Council for the Arts. I'd like to remind the committee of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, which outlines the range of the committee's review:
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.... 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.
We'll be following the order of questions adopted during our second meeting. As such, I will call upon Mr. Sirman to make a 10-minute opening statement, if he chooses.
Welcome to the committee, sir.