Good morning, colleagues. I call this meeting to order. Welcome to all.
We are joined this morning by the Minister of National Defence to assist us in consideration of supplementary estimates (B).
Welcome, Minister Nicholson.
The minister is joined by a number of officials: Deputy Minister Richard Fadden; Senior Associate Deputy Minister Michael Martin; Kevin Lindsey, the assistant deputy minister, chief financial officer, finance and corporate services; Rear-Admiral Patrick Finn, the chief of staff of the materiel group; Lieutenant-General Guy Thibault, the vice-chief of the defence staff; and John Forster, chief of Communications Security Establishment Canada.
Again, welcome, Minister. If you could, please take 10 minutes with your opening remarks.