Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to begin by informing Canadians why we're meeting this early. One of the reasons we're meeting this early—it's not the regular time—is that the government attempted to circumvent this committee's responsibility to vet your nomination by trying to get this done via routine proceedings in the House, which is in a few hours, which is just a farce. It's complete contempt for the committee's responsibility in vetting you, but I know that's not your fault, Mr. Friday, and I'm happy that you're here. I also wanted to thank you for your written apology about what happened last week.
You are largely perceived by experts in this area—particularly when it comes to whistle-blowing and because of your kind of uncritical comments of the Ouimet era in your office—as an insider. What can you say to Canadians and their concerns that yet another insider is being named to this position, which won't significantly improve the possibility for integrity to be upheld in the public sector?