Good morning. Welcome to the 28th meeting of this session for the Standing Committee on International Trade.
This morning we are going to pursue a study of the defence of supply management at the World Trade Organization.
We have as witnesses Don Stephenson, assistant deputy minister for trade policy and negotiations, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and from the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Gilles Gauthier, director general and chief agriculture negotiator.
I understand that you've just come for this meeting from “buy American”. Oh, that's gone? Well, thank you for coming. I appreciate your attendance.
We will follow the standard format as usual. We'll allow opening statements from our witnesses followed by questions in a prescribed order that has been established at the committee.
Without further ado, I'm going to ask Mr. Stephenson to begin with an opening statement.