Good morning, everybody.
I'd like to start on time. We are a little late.
Before I start, I need to make sure we get our budget....
No, we don't have a quorum for our budget. Okay. We'll do the budget in between witnesses and Q and A.
The orders of the day are pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the study of elevated rates of tuberculosis infection in first nations and Inuit communities.
We're very pleased to see our witnesses this morning. We're very pleased to be able to hear what you have to say. It's a very important topic.
We have, from the Department of Health, Shelagh Jane Woods. Welcome back, Ms. Woods. We're happy to see you back. And Dr. RoseMarie Ramsingh is here as well. Welcome to you.
From the Assembly of First Nations, we have Chief Angus Toulouse, regional chief. Welcome, Chief. And we have Kimberley Barker, public health advisor. Welcome.
From the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, we have Elizabeth Ford, who is a director in the department of health and environment. Thank you for coming. And I think we have Gail Turner. I can't see your name tag, but I think that's who you are. Thank you, Gail. She's from the national Inuit committee on health and she is the director of health services.
From the Northlands Denesuline First Nation, we have Chief Joseph Dantouze. Welcome. We're glad you're here.
We're also going to have a teleconference, so from Edmonton, Alberta, via telephone, we will have Dr. Richard Long. He's director of the tuberculosis program evaluation and research unit, first nations and Inuit health, and the immediate past medical officer of health for tuberculosis with the Province of Alberta.
We are going to begin. Our time is very tight. We want to hear from everybody, so your presentations will be three to five minutes, and I will have to be very tight on the time.
Could we start with Ms. Woods, please?