Bonjour. Welcome.
It being 3:30, we will call this meeting to order.
This is the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, meeting number 18. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are continuing our study on democratic development. This is the committee's major study of Canada's role in international support for democratic development around the globe.
As you know, we are examining all aspects of Canadian policy and activities in the field of democracy assistance in the light of the international challenges of democratic development. The study will also examine international democracy assistance in a comparative perspective, with a view to benefiting from the experience of other donors and other donor countries.
The committee is particularly interested in learning about approaches to support for democratic development that have shown demonstrable success on the ground.
The purpose of the committee's study is to submit a report of its findings, with recommendations to the Canadian government on future policy directions in this area.
That being said, today we are very pleased to have with us Madam Maureen O'Neil, president of the International Development Research Centre, as well as Jean-Louis Roy, president of Rights and Democracy, the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development. We welcome you here.
As the committee knows, we are having two meetings. This first portion goes until 4:30, at which time we will suspend and welcome some other witnesses. At the end of that period, we want to reserve 15 minutes for committee business.
First of all, we welcome our witnesses. You have the floor. If your presentation is more than ten minutes, we'll try to jerk you back a little and go into a line of questioning.
Welcome here.