I call the meeting to order.
Welcome, everybody, to meeting number 115 of the Standing Committee on Health.
Welcome to our guests.
Before we go to our guests, I have just a few little things we have to deal with.
The number one issue is the budget. We passed around a budget for this project, for this study. We just need somebody to move a motion to approve the budget and somebody to second it.
It is moved by Marilyn Gladu and seconded by Ron McKinnon. That problem is solved.
Second, I need unanimous consent. Dr. Yusuf's presentation this morning is only in English, and.... We don't have unanimous consent, so we can't pass that around.
Third, I just want to remind the NDP and the Conservatives that we still need unanimous consent in the House of Commons to make the minor change to the soft drink report, or the premixed drink report. Remember we did it in here, but it will have to come back. Just make sure your House leaders know that we've approved it here, and it will come up at the House leaders' meeting sooner or later.
The last issue is about the next meeting on Thursday. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is scheduled to make an address in Parliament at 10:30 a.m. I think we'll have to end at 10 o'clock to get in our seats in time for the presentation by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands in the House. Next Thursday, we'll end at 10 a.m.
That's it for the committee business.
Today we have with us Dr. Keith Fowke, Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba. Welcome.
As an individual by video conference from Hamilton, we have Dr. Salim Yusuf, Distinguished University Professor of Medicine, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences. Welcome, Dr. Yusuf.
From Genome Canada, we have Marc LePage, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Cindy Bell, Executive Vice-President, Corporate Development. Welcome.
From Structural Genomics Consortium, we have Aled Edwards, Chief Executive Officer, and Maxwell Morgan, Director of Policy and Legal Counsel. Welcome.
I'm going to invite Dr. Fowke to open with a 10-minute opening statement.
Dr. Fowke, you may start. We'll let you know when we hit 10 minutes.