Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to thank all of our witnesses for coming forward today, because of your testimony but also because of the good work your organizations do in the community. You make a terrific difference right across the country, and we thank you for that. I was involved in leading a United Way agency before I was elected to Parliament, and I know what a difference the work that each of you does can make in a community. I'd like to commend you.
Now, what we're going to be struggling with over the next few weeks really is that balance between providing that additional support for the charitable sector and making sure the dollars are well spent and the dollars that governments contribute actually go to help support the programs. So I'd like to start with the issue of the stretched tax credit.
I understand that a number of you are speaking very clearly in support of it. I'd like to get a sense from you of what you think the cost to government would be, what the cost to taxpayers would be, and what the benefits would be, in very concrete terms. I'd like to start with Mr. Hatton and Mr. Lifchus, and then, of course, hear from Monsieur Lauzière and Mr. Kleinman.