Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I welcome our guests to the committee today.
Before we start, I want to very quickly bring one thing to the committee. Last time we had an extra member from the NDP party who sat down and joined in the questioning. There are rules, and I only want to make you aware of the rules. After the committee meeting yesterday, a couple of people talked to me about the participation of other members in committee meetings. This is what everybody has to be aware of.
In addition to regular committee members, the Standing Orders also provide for associate members. Associate members are eligible to be named to subcommittees and may be designated to act as substitutes for regular members who are unable to attend committee meetings. Of course, that's when we sign the form and they sit in.
Any member of the House may attend committee meetings, question witnesses, and participate in the committee's public proceedings unless the House or the committee concerned orders otherwise, which means it's at the committee's discretion. In other words, someone may sit in, at the discretion of the committee, unless someone objects. In most committees, there is an objection if someone else sits in without permission from the committee itself. These members may move motions, vote, or be part of a quorum only when acting as an officially designated substitute for a permanent committee member.
I only want to make you aware of the rules. We'll be watching to make sure that everybody abides by the rules.
I would now like to welcome all the witnesses today who are coming to join us. We have witnesses from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Mr. Neil Maxwell is the assistant auditor general. I welcome you, Mr. Maxwell. It's great to have you here today. Glenn Wheeler, principal, thank you as well for being here. Louise Dubé, principal, I'm so glad you could join us.
From the Department of Health, we also have Karen Dodds, assistant deputy minister of the strategic policy branch. Welcome, Karen. Janice Dyer is the director general of applied research and analysis, strategic policy branch.
We also have the Department of Finance represented here today. Monika Bertrand is the chief, federal-provincial relations division, federal-provincial relations and social policy branch. It's a long title for one person.
I want to welcome you all. We look forward to your presentations today.
The Auditor General's office, the Department of Health, and the Department of Finance each have seven minutes to make a presentation. Following that, we will then go into the rounds of questioning.
Mr. Maxwell, would you be so kind as to begin. Thank you.