I'd like to start the meeting.
First of all, I'd like to extend to everyone a very warm welcome.
Bienvenue à tous.
Colleagues, the meeting today has been called pursuant to the Standing Orders to deal with chapter 3, “Oversight of Air Transportation Safety--Transport Canada” of the May 2008 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.
The committee is very pleased to have with us this morning, from the Office of the Auditor General, the auditor herself, Sheila Fraser. She is accompanied today by Mark Watters, assistant auditor general, and, Alain Boucher, principal. From the Department of Transport, we have Mr. Louis Ranger, deputy minister and accounting officer. He is accompanied by Mr. Marc Grégoire, assistant deputy minister of safety and security, and, Mr. Merlin Preuss, director general of civil aviation.
On behalf of the committee, I want to extend to everyone a very warm welcome.
This morning, colleagues, we will go until about a quarter to one. I will adjourn the meeting at that point in time to deal with two motions of committee business, and then we'll adjourn by one o'clock.
Without any further delay, I'll now call upon the Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, for her opening comments.