I call the meeting to order.
This is the 40th meeting of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Today is Thursday, October 22, 2009. Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), we are continuing our study on the state of organized crime in Canada.
We're pleased to have a number of witnesses with us. First, we have Julian Sher, investigative journalist. We have Michel Auger, who is also an investigative journalist. We have Jean-Pierre Lévesque, who is with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. And we have André Noël, journalist.
Gentlemen, thank you for appearing today. We look forward to hearing what you have to say to us.
Each of you has ten minutes to present. If you require less time, that's fine; that will give us more opportunity to ask questions of you.
Mr. Sher, perhaps you could start.