I call the meeting to order. We are here still on the order of reference of November 29, which is in regard to a question of privilege relating to a premature disclosure of a confidential report on the pre-budget consultations of the finance committee.
Most of our first hour today will be with Ms. Karen Shepherd, the Commissioner of Lobbying. Thank you for coming and seeing us today, and thank you for getting to us this good powerpoint presentation. It gives me a great idea of what your job is and how it works. We may save some time today by having that with us.
Committee, in the second hour we will have with us Louis Bard, the chief information officer. We'll be talking to him about some technological issues. Also, if we can, I'd like to save 15 minutes at the end of the meeting for some committee business. I'm going to suggest that we spend not quite an hour with each group of witnesses and save some time at the end.
Ms. Shepherd, I understand you have an opening statement. If you would make that statement, as briefly as possible, and introduce the guest with you, we'll follow up with a round of questions.