Good morning.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) our study of Canada's response to the violence, religious persecution, and dislocation caused by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant will continue.
I want to welcome all our witnesses and guests from Washington today. Thank you for taking the time to present to us.
I want to introduce to you Ellen Laipson, who is the president and chief executive officer of the Stimson Center. With her is Geneive Abdo, who is a fellow with the Stimson Center as well.
We have Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Welcome to all.
We'll start with Ms. Laipson. We'll work our way around the room for our opening statements. Once we've had your opening statements, we'll go back and forth around our room to ask you questions over the next hour and a half or so.
Ms. Laipson, I'm going to turn it over to you for your opening statement.