That's 100 official meetings, MP Lawrence. I don't think any other committee.... I could be wrong. I'll look to the analysts or the clerk. They may know and provide that number. We've had that number of official meetings. I think we've had even many more than that.
Just on that note of summer, as I said, I hope that everybody had an opportunity to be with family and friends and recharge and talk to your constituents and to the many Canadians whom I'm sure you've heard from.
We've a lot of work to do with our pre-budget consultations. We're going to be hearing from stakeholders from labour, business, academia and civil society. I know that our excellent finance committee members are going to do a great job and be very active on this.
Also, here's another one: We have received what I believe is a record number of submissions and briefs to our committee from stakeholders for our pre-budget consultations. There are around 850....
I'll look to the analysts. Yes, there are about 850 submissions that we've received. Outside of our Ottawa meetings, we will be visiting communities across Canada in October and November.
Our committee is made up of members from right across our great country. We have a number of new members on our finance committee, and many veterans.
New to our committee is parliamentary secretary Bendayan; welcome. We also have MP Thompson and MP Weiler, who are new to the committee.
Our veterans are MP Baker, MP Dzerowicz, MP and Vice-chair Hallan, MP Morantz, MP Chambers, MP Lawrence, MP and Vice-chair Ste-Marie and MP Blaikie.
I'm not going to go through your riding names. I know that you're going to have an opportunity when you ask questions and get into discussions to highlight many of the things that are going on in your ridings and your regions.
Also, it's great to be back with an outstanding team. As I've said for the analysts, the clerks, the interpreters, the support team and all the members' staff who are with us here, we're all here to work together and to do a good job.
Let's get into it.
Pursuant to Standing Order 83.1 and the motion adopted by the committee on Thursday, June 8, 2023, the committee is meeting to discuss the pre-budget consultations in advance of the 2024 budget.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely by using the Zoom application.
I'd like to make a few comments for the benefit of witnesses and members.
Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mike. Please mute yourself when you are not speaking. For interpretation, those on Zoom have the choice at the bottom of your screen of either floor, English or French. Those in the room can use the earpiece and select the desired channel.
Although this room is equipped with a powerful audio system, feedback events can occur. These can be extremely harmful to interpreters and can cause serious injuries. The most common cause of sound feedback is an earpiece worn too close to a microphone. We therefore ask all participants to exercise a high degree of caution when handling the earpieces, especially when your microphone or your neighbour's microphone is turned on. In order to prevent incidents and safeguard the hearing health of the interpreters, I invite participants to ensure that they speak into the microphone into which their headset is plugged and to avoid manipulating the earbuds and place them on the table, away from the microphone, when they are not in use.
I will remind you that all comments should be addressed through the chair.
If members in the room wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.
In accordance with the committee's routine motion concerning connection tests for witnesses, I'm informing the committee—and this is through the clerk—that all witnesses have completed the required connection tests in advance of the meeting.
I would now like to welcome our witnesses.
Joining us as an individual is Ian Lee, associate professor from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University. Welcome.
From the Canadian Labour Congress, we have Bea Bruske, president, and Chris Roberts, national director, social and economic policy. From Edge Reality Analytics Limited, we have Ben Rabidoux, who is a housing analyst. From the Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain, we have Véronique Laflamme, who is a spokesperson for the organization.
We also have, from Letko Brosseau and Associates Inc., Daniel Brosseau, president, and senior vice-president Peter Letko.
Also joining us, from Native Child and Family Services of Toronto, is director of governance and strategy Jeffrey Schiffer.
With that, we will start from the top with Ian Lee. You will have up to five minutes to make an opening statement.