Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you to all of our witnesses for being here today. I appreciate your time and insight.
If I may, I'll start with Ms. Wood. Thank you for your testimony.
As a member of the opposition, I really want to make sure that we don't repeat some of the same mistakes that we have seen happen in other programs that have been rolled out. We want to make sure everything is done correctly.
The Auditor General's report has just come out. One thing in particular is around housing. The report says that CMHC has “spent about $4.5 billion and committed about $9 billion but did not know who was benefiting from its [work].”
As well, when we look at food security, which you've been sharing so much about, the Auditor General's report has said that “the government had not developed a national emergency preparedness and response plan that considered a crisis affecting the entire food system and Canadians' food security.” It also stated, “According to a May 2020 study by Statistics Canada, food insecurity among Canadians rose” to almost 15%. We know food bank usage is up to the highest it's ever been in history.
My question for you with this bill is, what do you see that will make sure that this program—this bill—doesn't see the same lack of accountability or proper implementation for getting the funding to the people who need it most?