Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I read the Senate report last week, and one of the recommendations that really surprised me the most was recommendation 8: “The Government of Canada should ensure that Global Affairs Canada's senior officials, including deputy ministers, have in-depth knowledge of and experience in international affairs.” I was surprised that this recommendation even needed to be made in the Senate report.
However, I want to focus on what the purpose of this hearing is all about, and that's the machinery of government and how GAC manages our diplomacy. My first question is on how two of the recommendations concern reaffirming the central agency status of Global Affairs Canada and seeking separate agency status for Global Affairs Canada. I wonder if Mr. Burton and Mr. Robertson could comment on that.