Dear colleagues, welcome to the 31st meeting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.
Pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), the committee will proceed to an examination of the main estimates. Before us today we have votes 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, L25 and L30 under the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; vote 1 under the International Development Research Centre; and vote 1 under the International Joint Commission (Canadian Section), which were all referred to the committee on February 25.
I would also inform members at this time that we will not vote on the main estimates today, but rather will do so after the appearance of both ministers.
To ensure an orderly meeting, I encourage all participants to mute their microphones when they're not speaking, and to address comments through the chair.
When you have 30 seconds remaining in your questioning time or testimony, I will signal you with a piece of paper.
Additionally, as always, interpretation services are available through the globe icon at the bottom of your screens.
I will now welcome to the committee Minister Gould, the Minister of International Development, as well as the following team of officials from Global Affairs Canada: Leslie MacLean, deputy minister of international development; Elissa Golberg, assistant deputy minister of strategic policy; and Paul Thoppil, assistant deputy minister, Asia-Pacific.
Also from Global Affairs Canada, we have Caroline Leclerc, Assistant Deputy Minister, Partnerships for Development Innovation; Peter MacDougall, Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Issues and Development; Anick Ouellette, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Planning, Finance and Information Technology; and Annie Boyer, Director General and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Financial Planning and Management.
Madam Minister, welcome.
You have five to seven minutes for your opening remarks.
You have the floor.