Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I don't propose to take 10 minutes. I did want to thank you for the welcome to the committee, as a relatively new deputy minister for Employment and Social Development Canada.
I'd propose to very briefly walk you through the supplementary estimates that we have before you, which, as you know, see the department seeking a total of $181.5 million in voted appropriations.
The first item is $163.5 million to write off student debts for which all reasonable collection efforts have been exhausted. ESDC seeks this authority on an annual basis.