I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 69 of the Standing Committee on International Trade. Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the House order of June 23, 2022. Therefore, members are attending in person in the room and remotely, using the Zoom application.
I have a few things to mention.
Please wait until I recognize you before speaking. For the translators, please speak slowly and clearly. For those of you participating virtually, please click on the microphone icon to activate your mike. Please mute yourself when you're not speaking, in order to cut back on feedback. With respect to interpretation, for those of you on Zoom, you have the choice at the bottom of your screen of floor, English or French. Select that as appropriate. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function if you wish to speak, so that you can be identified by the chair. The clerk will manage the speaking order.
Finally, no photos are permitted to be taken in the room, nor screenshots on Zoom. If you have any technical difficulties, please let me know.
I have one housekeeping item that we should deal with before this starts. You should have all received from the clerk a copy of the draft budget for the study of the underused housing tax on Canadian border communities.
Is it the pleasure of the committee to adopt the budget in the amount of $12,750?
(Motion agreed to)
Great.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Monday, May 29, 2023, the committee is beginning the study of impacts of the underused housing tax on Canadian border communities.
Today, we have with us Richard Halinda, barrister and solicitor. We also have Thomas Davidoff, associate professor at the Sauder school of business at the University of British Columbia, by video conference.
Welcome, everyone. Thanks for taking your valuable time to come here today.
We'll start off with opening remarks, and then we're going to proceed to rounds of questions.
Mr. Halinda, I invite you to start. You have somewhere around five minutes.