I call this meeting to order.
Good afternoon. Before I welcome our guests I would like to make a quick announcement. Our chair, Diane Marleau, is not here today due to a death in her immediate family. I'll be chairing the meeting in her absence. Our thoughts are with her at this moment.
Today's meeting will be a little different, with the concurrence of the balance of the committee. Generally our witnesses give us ten minutes and then we get into a long question-and-answer session. My understanding is that with the depth of the presentations necessary today and the volume of witnesses we have--with both this presentation on behalf of Public Works, and the International Trade Tribunal following--they've asked for longer presentation periods.
With the concurrence of the committee I would ask for consideration so we can allow that, with the thought that when questions come before the committee afterwards we won't have our regular allotted time.
Can I get general agreement in the committee to limit the questions of all members to five minutes? We'll be hard-pressed to get very many of them in, quite frankly. I ask for your consideration and thoughts.
Are you all in agreement, or would you like a discussion on this matter?
Ms. Nash.