Good evening, everyone. I call this meeting to order. Welcome to meeting number 4 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 Thursday, January 20, 2022, the committee is meeting to continue its study on critical minerals. Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the House order of Thursday, November 25, 2021. Members are attending in person in the room or remotely using the Zoom application. As for the health rules that are in place, I think everyone is familiar with them by now. Those who are present in Ottawa should therefore take the necessary precautions.
That said, I will introduce the witnesses who are doing us the honour of appearing tonight, and whom we thank.
We have the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, who is the member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice-Champlain and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry; Ms. Cherie Anderson, Assistant Director of Requirements at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service; Mr. Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister at the Department of Industry; Ms. Katherine Burke, Director General of the Investment Review Branch; Mr. Jeff Labonté, Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Minerals Sector, Department of Natural Resources; Dominic Rochon, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, National Security and Cyber Security Sector, Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
Without further ado, we will begin with opening remarks by Minister Champagne, who is scheduled to leave at 6:30 p.m. As for the officials, they will be present to answer questions from members of Parliament throughout the meeting, until 7:30 p.m. I wanted to convey that information to the members of the committee.
Minister, you have the floor.