Thank you, Chair.
Thank you both for taking the time to be with us today.
Ms. Baker, for several years I had the privilege of working and volunteering for the Canadian Red Cross, primarily in fundraising, philanthropy and stakeholder relations, as well as in disaster management and emergency response. The CRC is, if I recall correctly, a member of Imagine Canada, so I will start by taking a moment to thank you for the work you do.
My time at the CRC intersected with some of the most significant challenges the organization has seen in its history, tied to various natural and conflict-related catastrophes, so I say the following with every conviction in the world: The non-profit sector plays a fundamental role across our country, doing some of the most important work of all, often with far less resources than they might need.
As we conduct this review of the Lobbying Act, I'd like to offer you the opportunity to speak to the importance of that work, as well as the importance of striking the balance between transparency mechanisms while ensuring that unintended consequences do not end up disproportionately impacting them.