Good afternoon. Welcome to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. This is Tuesday, June 9, 2009.
We are meeting today for an hour and a half, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., in order to study Bill C-27. We are televised.
Pursuant to the order of reference of Friday, May 8, 2009, we are studying Bill C-27, An Act to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities, and to amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Competition Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Telecommunications Act.
We have appearing in front of us the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, and two of his officials, Madame Helen McDonald, assistant deputy minister, spectrum, information technologies and telecommunications, and Mr. Richard Simpson, director general of the electronic commerce branch.
Welcome to all of you, and welcome as well to our Mexican delegation, who will be sitting in the audience, observing the Canadian parliamentary system at work. I welcome the Mexican delegation from the United Mexican States.
Without further ado, we'll begin with the minister for his opening comments with respect to this bill.