We have quorum, so it's my pleasure to call this meeting to order.
I'll start by acknowledging that we are on the traditional sacred territory of the Algonquin people in Ottawa, and here where I am sitting in front of the eagles, the Anishinabe, Haudenosaunee and Chonnonton nations.
The committee is meeting to continue its study of support for indigenous communities through a second wave of COVID-19.
Once again, as we start the meeting, there's a selector in the bottom centre of your screen that looks like a globe. When you select it, you select a language in which you wish to communicate, either English or French. When speaking, please speak slowly and clearly.
Once again, our translation is the issue and that is why we need the correct microphone hook-ups and clear speech so that our interpreters can properly interpret. If we don't have the interpretation, we can't properly, by committee protocol, continue the meeting, so keep that in mind.
By the way, keep your microphone on mute until you are speaking.
With us today by video conference for the first hour are the following witnesses: From the west coast we have Jason Alsop, president of the Council of the Haida Nation; Dr. Shannon McDonald, from the First Nations Health Authority, acting chief medical officer; and, Erik Blaney and Dillon Johnson, from the Tla'amin Nation, executive council members.
Welcome to all.
Mr. Alsop, I invite you to begin. You have six minutes to make your opening presentation. Please go ahead.