Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Committee members, welcome.
This is meeting number 42 of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. Today we are embarking on a new study entitled “Exploring the Potential of Social Finance in Canada”.
To help us kick off our study, we are joined today by departmental officials. From the Department of Employment and Social Development, we have, first of all, Ms. Siobhan Harty, director general of the social policy directorate, strategic policy and research branch; and Mr. Blair McMurren, director of social innovation, strategic policy and research branch.
Thank you both for being here, Ms. Harty and Mr. McMurren.
We are quite flexible today. We've tentatively scheduled a one-hour meeting; however, I'm going to be flexible with the time and then we'll move into questioning.
I have one other note. We have to deal with a very short budget issue at the end of our meeting. When we've exhausted our questions, we'll move into that session.
Ms. Harty, please proceed.