Good morning, everyone.
I would like to call to order meeting number 38 of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
Committee members, we have some business at the end of the meeting today, so instead of giving a full hour for the first set of witnesses and then cut off the second one, I'll probably do about 50 minutes in the first hour, 50 minutes in the second, and then we can do our committee business.
We're very pleased today to have with us Cindy Blackstock, who is from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. Ms. Blackstock is the executive director.
We're also very happy to have Conrad Saulis. Conrad is the policy director of the National Association of Friendship Centres.
We are really grateful that you are here today. As you know, we are doing a study on the federal supports that are available, and should be available, to adoptive parents. We know aboriginal children and the adoptive process is a very important part of this puzzle, so we're pleased that you're here.
We ask that you each make a presentation of about five to seven minutes. Then we can have some time for questions.
Ms. Blackstock.