I'm calling the meeting to order.
This is meeting number 12 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade. Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the House order of November 25, 2021. Per the directive of the Board of Internal Economy on March 10, 2022, all those attending the meeting in person must wear a mask, except for members who are at their place during proceedings.
I need to make a few comments for the benefit of the witnesses and members.
Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mike, and please mute yourself when you are not speaking. For those participating via Zoom, you have interpretation options at the bottom of your screen of either floor, English or French. All comments should be addressed through the chair.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motions adopted by the committee on Monday, January 31, 2022, and March 21, 2022, the committee is resuming its study of the modernization of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
We have with us, as an individual, Andriy Shevchenko; from the Alberta Labour History Institute, Winston Gereluk, treasurer; from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Mark Agnew, senior vice-president, policy and government relations; from the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, Jars Balan, director, Kule Ukrainian Canadian Studies Centre; from STAS, Louis Bouchard, president, who I believe has not quite tuned in yet virtually but will be joining us shortly; and, from the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, Clayton Kotylak, director.
Welcome, all of you. We will start with five minutes of opening remarks and then proceed with rounds of questions from the members.
Mr. Shevchenko, I invite you to make an opening statement of up to five minutes, please.