I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 27 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.
Today's meeting is televised. We're going to meet until seven o'clock or a motion for adjournment, whichever comes earlier.
We have the minister until 6:30 p.m., so for one hour.
Today's meeting is a briefing on mental health and addictions in Canada, with Minister Bennett and senior officials.
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 in person must wear a mask, except for members who are at their place during proceedings. In accordance with our routine motion, I'm informing the committee that all witnesses have completed the required connection tests in advance.
We will now welcome the witnesses who are with us this afternoon and who have been patiently waiting.
We have the honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. From the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, we have Dr. Michael J. Strong, president. From the Department of Health, we have with us, in the room, Heather Jeffrey, associate deputy minister. Online, we have Jocelyne Voisin, assistant deputy minister, strategic policy branch; Eric Bélair, associate assistant deputy minister, strategic policy branch; Kendal Weber, assistant deputy minister, controlled substances and cannabis branch; and Jennifer Saxe, director general, controlled substances directorate, controlled substances and cannabis branch. Finally, from the Public Health Agency of Canada, we have Candice St-Aubin, vice-president, health promotion and chronic disease prevention branch.
Thank you to all of you for hanging around to inform us, and to wait out the votes.
I understand it's just the minister providing an opening statement this afternoon.
Minister Bennett, welcome to the committee. You have the floor.