I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 21 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the House order of January 25, 2021. The proceedings today are televised and will be made available via the House of Commons website. The webcast will always show the person speaking, rather than the entirety of the committee.
Pursuant to the order of reference of Thursday, March 11, the committee will commence its consideration of Bill C-24, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act in regard to additional regular benefits, the Canada Recovery Benefits Act, regarding restriction on eligibility, and another act in response to COVID-19.
I welcome our witnesses to begin our discussion with five minutes of opening remarks, followed by questions.
We're pleased to have here with us the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion; Lori MacDonald, the senior associate deputy minister of Employment and Social Development Canada and chief operating officer for Service Canada; and Graham Flack, the deputy minister of Employment and Social Development Canada.
I understand they're in the process of logging in. Although I've welcomed them, there might be a short delay before they are actually with us.
With that, we are going to start with the sponsor of the bill, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion.
Minister, you have the floor. Welcome to the committee.