Thank you very much, Mr. Thompson.
Before we go to Ms. Meredith, I want to point out to members that normally in a meeting like this we would expect to have the deputy minister or the accounting officer of each of the departments. This meeting was scheduled on relatively short notice. Unfortunately, the accounting officers for Public Works and Government Services Canada and Environment Canada are out of Ottawa. They're unable to attend. But instead of rescheduling the meeting, the steering committee decided to have the meeting with the full understanding that the associate deputy would be here, ready and able to answer any relevant questions. I just wanted to point that out.
Also, I want to point out that we have one additional witness whom I didn't identify in my opening remarks. Ellen Burack, the director general of the greening of government operations, is here with us now. Welcome to the committee.
Ms. Meredith, associate deputy minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, I understand you have some opening comments.