Committee members, it is 4:30 p.m. The clerk has advised me that we have quorum, so I'll call the meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 79 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee is meeting for a briefing with the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
Welcome, Minister. We'll more formally welcome you a little later.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person in the room, and they're attending by Zoom as well.
I would like to make a few comments before we begin.
You have the option of choosing to speak in the official language of your choice.
Madam Chabot, if there is a breakdown in the translation, please get my attention. We'll suspend while it's being corrected.
Those in the room please raise your hand if you want to get my attention. Those on camera use the “raise hand” icon. As well, no screenshots are allowed to be taken when the meeting is in progress. I would also ask you to please speak slowly and keep your cellphones away from the microphone, that will avoid popping sounds and will be for the benefit of the translators as well.
With that, as I indicated, we have some members joining us. Mr. Morrice, who was acting chair for a while yesterday is joining us. As well, we have Mr. Scheer, and Mr. Trudel is joining Madam Chabot and Madam Zarrillo.
I will advise that we do have a communications problem with Ms. Kwan online. The quality is not sufficient to translate at this time. It is being worked on.
Before we begin, I'll just say I'm going to conduct the meeting in two one-hour sessions. We'll have a health break after the first hour. For a couple of minutes, we'll suspend, and then I will go back to the normal rotation we have on the speaking order for the first hour. We'll revert to it again for the second hour, just so we're clear.
I would like to welcome our witness this afternoon, Minister Fraser.
Minister Fraser, welcome to HUMA. The floor is yours for your opening statement.