Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are having the 21st meeting of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), a study on the policy direction to the CRTC.
We have three different panels before us today and about two hours and fifteen minutes, which is a very tight timeline. We're going to try to keep to the timelines as much as possible. I encourage all of our witnesses and members to be brief in their statements, questions, and answers. This will certainly help things proceed better.
We have in the first panel before us here today all the incumbent local exchange carriers. We have four representatives, and I understand there's been agreement on who will be presenting first, second, third, and fourth, and I'll go in that order.
From Bell Canada we have Lawson Hunter, executive vice-president and chief corporate officer. Presenting second will be Michael Roberts, vice-president, regulatory and government affairs for Bell Aliant Regional Communications. Presenting third will be John Meldrum, vice-president, corporate counsel and regulatory affairs for SaskTel. Fourth, from TELUS, we have Janet Yale, executive vice-president, corporate affairs.
I understand that you've all been told that there will be three-minute maximum opening statements from each of you, and then we'll go directly to questions from the members.
Mr. Hunter, would you like to start us off, please?