I call the meeting to order.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm happy to welcome you to the 60th meeting of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.
Today we've invited representatives from the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Department of Finance. We are going to try to understand the government's response to our seventh report, which was entitled “Strengthening Parliamentary Scrutiny of Estimates and Supply”.
We have, from Treasury Board Secretariat, Ms. Sally Thornton, the executive director, expenditure operations and estimates; Mr. Bill Matthews, the assistant secretary, expenditure management sector; and Mr. Kenneth Wheat, the senior director of estimates, expenditure management sector. Welcome.
Representing the Department of Finance, we have Mr. Douglas Nevison, economic and fiscal policy branch; Mr. Frank Des Rosiers, general director of analysis, tax policy branch; and Mr. Brian Pagan, director, fiscal policy, director's office. Welcome.
I understand that there will be a lead from each of the departments. We have until about 10:30 with you as witnesses today. If you could, please give us an opening statement and leave lots of room for questions.
Go ahead, Mr. Matthews.