Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates.
We're very pleased today to welcome the President of the Treasury Board as our guest and the supplementary officials he has brought with him to speak to and defend the main estimates.
As you know, Minister, this committee has taken a special interest in doing a thorough, comprehensive, robust analysis of the estimates, increasingly so with your cooperation and the cooperation of your team. So it is especially poignant perhaps that we have you here today in that regard.
I know there is also great interest in speaking to your officials this week, to examine some of the votes that are referred to us. But that will be in the second hour of the meeting.
I understand we have you for an hour, Minister. I won't take any more time. The floor is yours.