Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Théberge, thank you very much for being here today.
I would like to start by putting things into context.
From the outset, in light of your resume and the answers you have given to our questions, I have no doubt that you have the skills required to fill this position. By the way, congratulations on the career you've had. However, if you're here today, it's because there was a fiasco in the spring. Poor Ms. Meilleur had to go through that period.
I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I'm obviously asking you to answer as best you can. I think this is important. Not answering questions could give rise to some suspicion. So I ask you to answer them.
Yesterday, in the Senate, you said that you became interested from the moment the position became vacant on July 28. However, Ms. Meilleur withdrew on June 7. Were you part of the first cohort?