I call the meeting to order.
Welcome, Minister McCallum and the department officials. Over the last few years, we've watched the horrors of the Syrian civil war unfold and the consequent waves of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Perhaps the image that's most seared in Canadian minds is that of the body of baby Alan Kurdi washing ashore after his family's unsuccessful attempt to find peace and security outside of Syria.
Minister, your mandate letter states that “Canadians are open, accepting, and generous”, and over the last few months we have seen Canadians open up their hearts and open up their homes to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. I know that this has been a challenging time for you and of course for the department officials. In fact you have met those challenges in, some would say, a miraculous way.
The mandate letter also says that you are to report regularly on your progress towards fulfilling our government's commitment and to have meaningful engagement with parliamentary committees. We're very appreciative of the fact that you so expeditiously responded to the committee's request that you appear before us.
Pursuant to the motion adopted by the committee on February 16, 2016, that the minister appear before the committee on citizenship and immigration at his earliest convenience, the minister is here today, this February 23, 2016, to discuss the ministerial mandate letter.
I would now invite the minister to proceed with any opening comments he may have.
Minister.