I'd like to call the meeting to order.
I want to welcome everyone here today.
This meeting is in connection with chapter 5, “Passports Services—Passport Canada”, of the February 2007 report of the Auditor General of Canada.
The committee is very pleased, of course, to have, representing the Office of the Auditor General, the Auditor General, Sheila Fraser; Richard Flageole, Assistant Auditor General; and Paul Morse, principal.
From the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade we have the accounting officer and deputy minister, Mr. Len Edwards.
And from Passport Canada we have Gérald Cossette, the chief executive officer; Jody Thomas, chief operating officer; and Gary McDonald, director general of policy and planning.
On behalf of all committee members, I want to extend to each and every one of you a very warm welcome.
What I propose to do, members, is start now and we'll go to 5:15. Then we'll just adjourn to discuss committee business, and in particular the meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
Before calling on opening statements, there are three issues I want to bring to the committee's attention. First of all, I was in Ghana for the last nine days on a seminar dealing with public accounts and the public affairs committee of Ghana. I want to thank my co-chair, Brian Fitzpatrick, for chairing the meetings during my absence. I trust the members all behaved themselves.