Good afternoon, everyone. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee will now proceed to a briefing session.
The witnesses for today's session are from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: Randle Wilson, assistant deputy minister of strategic policy, communications, and corporate planning; Peter McGovern, director general of North America commercial relations; Susan Gregson, assistant director general of the regional strategies bureau; and John Curtis, the chief economist.
Thank you very much for coming, ladies and gentlemen. We're very pleased you're here.
I know most members of the committee have received a briefing from your department in advance. This briefing, I know, will be focused. We will allow 20 minutes in total for the briefing, breaking our rule of having normally 10 minutes or less for witnesses. But because it's a briefing, we want to hear what you have to say first. The discussion will, however, be focused by the members and their questions, and I think that's what's most important here. So if you could, please go ahead.