The meeting has now resumed.
Welcome back to meeting number 31 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health. The committee is meeting to study the emergency situation facing Canadians in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, today we are examining the collateral effects of the pandemic.
I'd like to welcome our witnesses. As an individual we have Dr. Gary Bloch, family physician at St. Michael's Hospital and Inner City Health Associates, and professor at the University of Toronto. With the Canadian Medical Association we have Dr. Ann Collins, president, and Dr. Abdo Shabah, Quebec board member and French spokesperson. With the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions we have Pauline Worsfold, secretary-treasurer. Finally, with The Mustard Seed we have Mr. Stephen Wile, chief executive officer.
Thank you all for attending today and for sharing your time with us.
We will now start witness statements, with Dr. Bloch.
Doctor, please go ahead, for six minutes.