I call the meeting back to order.
Before we begin, I would like to welcome the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice.
We also welcome the officials accompanying them tonight. From the Department of Health, we have Jocelyne Voisin, assistant deputy minister, strategic policy branch; and Katarina Pintar, director, health care programs and policy directorate. From the Department of Justice, we have Robert Brookfield, director general and senior general counsel, criminal law policy section; and Jeanette Ettel, senior counsel, human rights law section.
Before I invite you to bring your opening remarks, I will just say that I know this is your first time before this committee, Minister Virani. We've adopted in this committee a convention that, I would say, has worked fairly well for us, so I just want to make you aware of it. It's quite simply that you will be afforded as much time to answer the question as the person who poses it takes to ask it. It is the prerogative of the questioner to allow you to go on for longer, but if they ask a four-second question and you speak for 10 seconds, they'll probably interrupt you and I won't stop them.
With that, we're going to begin with opening statements, beginning with Minister Holland. I know it has been a long night for both of you after a couple of hours in the Senate. We appreciate your being here.
You have the floor, Minister Holland. Please go ahead.