Good morning, everyone.
I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting No. 28 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Friday, April 8, 2022, the committee is meeting to study Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, and some witnesses and members are attending using the Zoom application.
The participants who are here on site, in Ottawa, are familiar with the public health rules that are still in force, and should conduct themselves accordingly.
Without further delay, I will introduce the witnesses it is our honour to have with us today.
From the Competition Bureau, we have Anthony Durocher, Deputy Commissioner, Competition Promotion Branch, and Krista McWhinnie, Deputy Commissioner, Monopolistic Practices Directorate.
From the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, we have Sarah Hayward, Acting Senior Director, Immigration Program Guidance; Philip Somogyvari, Director General, Strategic Policy and Planning; and Matthew Graham, Director, Levels Planning and Migration Analysis.
From Statistics Canada, we have Greg Peterson, Assistant Chief Statistician, Economic Statistic; Josée Bégin, Director General, Labour Market, Education and Socio-Economic Well-Being; and Wulong Gu, Senior Advisor, Analytical Studies and Modelling Branch.
And from Treasury Board Secretariat, we have James van Raalte, Executive Director, Regulatory Policy and Cooperation Directorate, Regulatory Affairs Sector.
I'd like to thank the numerous witnesses who are participating in this process today. We appreciate their assistance as we conclude this study of competitiveness. Thank you for taking the time to come and speak to the committee.
Without further delay, I give the floor to Mr. Durocher for five minutes.