Yes. This is my first time addressing this committee. It is a daunting task to assume leadership of a department this large and with this much responsibility. I want to say a very heartfelt thank you to the public servants both at CMHC and ESDC. Also, they're not here, but I want to thank those at the National Capital Commission and at PCO, for which I'm also responsible, who have done an extraordinary amount of work to help me get through this very difficult transition to a very big portfolio. We have some exceptional public servants in this country. I think all of you and all of us are very well served, regardless of our partisan affiliations, by them. I just hope that everyone appreciates the work these fine people do. I applaud them for their efforts. Thank you.
On May 28th, 2015. See this statement in context.