I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 24 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.
Today we will meet for two hours for a briefing from officials to begin our study on children's health. This meeting does not count toward the six-meeting minimum with witnesses, set earlier this year.
The meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the House order of November 25, 2021. Per the directive of the Board of Internal Economy of March 10, 2022, all those attending the meeting must wear a mask, except for members who are at their place during the proceedings.
Please refrain from taking screenshots or photos of your screen.
In accordance with our routine motion on informing the committee that all witnesses have completed their required connection tests in advance of the meeting, I would now like to welcome our witnesses who are with us this afternoon for this briefing.
From the Department of Health, we have Jocelyne Voisin, assistant deputy minister in the strategic policy branch; Kendal Weber, assistant deputy minister of the controlled substances and cannabis branch; Alfred Aziz, director general of the office of nutrition policy and promotion, health products and food branch; Karen McIntyre, director general of the food directorate, health products and food branch; and Celia Lourenco, director general of the biologic and radiopharmaceutical drugs directorate, health products and food branch.
We have with us from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Candice St-Aubin, vice-president of the health promotion and chronic disease prevention branch. From the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, we have Tammy Clifford, vice-president of research, learning health systems.
Each organization will have up to five minutes for an opening statement. I'll ask the Department of Health to begin.
Ms. Voisin, welcome to the committee. You have the floor.