I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 84 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. This meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders.
Before we proceed, I simply want to remind members to be very careful when handling the earpieces, especially when your microphone or your neighbour's microphone is turned on. Earpieces placed too close to a microphone are one of the most common causes of sound feedback, which is extremely harmful to interpreters and causes serious injuries.
We are joined today by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, who will be with us for the first hour. Officials will be with us for the full two hours today. Joining the minister in the first hour is Annette Gibbons, deputy minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Mario Pelletier, commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard.
Once statements are done, we will proceed to rounds of questions and answers.
We will begin by hearing from the minister with her opening statement.
When you're ready, Minister, please proceed.