I call the meeting to order.
Colleagues, we're continuing with our review of the economic stimulus package on behalf of Canada's taxpayers. We have a number of departments in front of us today.
I want to apologize for the late start. The environmentalists who were in the room prior to us are using a different time clock from us. We forgive them for that. We'll start now, and I hope the witnesses are ready. We're getting off to a very quick start, but we are ten minutes behind time.
We have a large number of departments with us today. It's a large panel: Western Economic Diversification, the Department of Industry, National Research Council, Atomic Energy of Canada, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, and Service Canada. That covers a lot of territory.
I'll go to the departments first and invite them to make opening statements. The first on our list, and I'll follow it, is Mr. Watson, associate deputy minister for western economic diversification.
The microphone is yours, sir.