To ensure an orderly meeting, I want to outline a few rules for everyone to follow in this new reality that we're in, which is a hybrid situation. I will address in just a few minutes the issue that Ms. Dabrusin brought up before the meeting started.
Number one, members may speak in the official language of their choice. Interpretation services are available for this meeting. You have the choice at the bottom of your screen of either floor, English or French.
For members participating in person—and we have two—proceed as you usually would when the whole committee is meeting in person in a committee room. Keep in mind the directives from the Board of Internal Economy regarding masking and health protocols.
Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. If you are on the video conference, please click on the microphone icon to unmute yourself. For those in the room, your microphone will be controlled as is normal by the proceedings and verification officer. When you are not speaking, please put your mike on mute. I think we should know that by now, after three-quarters of a year of going through this process.
With regard to a speaking list, the committee clerk and I will do our best to maintain a consolidated order of speaking for all members when they are participating virtually or in person, so here's what I'm going to do. If someone brings up a subject matter that we are discussing, please use the indication at the bottom to put up your hand. If somebody has a topic that is new, not germane to the current topic, and they want to bring it up, they can get my attention, and I will do it the old-fashioned way: I'll write down your name. That way, I can refer to a list of new topics, which I will keep here.
Now, as far as the people in the room are concerned—Ms. McPherson and Ms. Dabrusin—obviously you don't have the “raise hand” function, but I will try to do that, and Tom will send me a text or get my attention to let me know that you wish to speak. This will be much easier after mid-November, as I plan to return to Ottawa to chair these meetings from where Tom is. That would make it a lot easier, but unfortunately I'm not there at the moment, as you can plainly see.
On my final point, should any technical issues arise, please advise the chair and please note that we may need to suspend for a few minutes, as we need to ensure that all members are participating fully.
Those are my notes.
Now, as you know, we are in committee business. This is the only thing that we have for today. We'll deal with a few motions, I would assume, but it occurred to us—or it occurred to Tom and then Tom told me—that there was one thing left out of the routine motions. We forgot to do it, so I apologize for that, and I'm scoping out the scene trying to find a volunteer to help us with this particular motion that we missed.
Mr. Housefather.
