Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Good morning to you all. Maybe I'll just make a very brief opening statement and then go to questions.
In my 27 years now at EDC, I've been witness to many changes in our clients' needs, in the norms of our marketplace, in the expectations of customers around the world, and in our own ways of doing business. That was always the basic assumption to any discussion in global commerce, that change is inherent to it. The real difference, however, that we're experiencing today is the pace of change. Things move faster, things evolve much more quickly, new players arise. If we cannot keep pace, there are a lot more alternatives out there that probably can and will. International trade, as we know, offers Canadian business more opportunity than ever before, but there is also more and there is fiercer competition than we have ever faced before.
Throughout what is now a 60-year history of EDC—we're beginning our 61st year—EDC has been a relevant player, I'm proud to say, internationally for Canada. As a key element of the government's trade agenda, EDC has been a strong contributor to building prosperity, jobs, and growth in Canada. At the same time, none of us can take it for granted that the models, be it the products, the services, the theories, that have served us well in the past will serve us well in the future, and I include EDC in that assessment. I am committed to ensuring that we at EDC will know our clients well. If we're going to understand their needs, we're going to have to understand intimately their plans. I will ensure that we are fully engaged with Canada's investors and exporters from every industrial sector, from every corner of the country, and indeed for every size of business.
My EDC career has been focused on delivering the financing of risk management solutions that Canadian businesses really need to succeed abroad. I would say that during my tenure as president I want to ensure that through EDC the Government of Canada will have an organization that's not just efficiently delivering what's needed today, but is able to anticipate what's needed tomorrow.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.