I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 12 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108, the committee is meeting today on “Report 13: Health and Safety of Agricultural Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada During the COVID‑19 Pandemic”.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the order of November 25, 2021. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application.
Given the directive of the Board of Internal Economy on March 10, 2022, all those attending the meeting in person must wear a mask, except when the member is seated at their place during parliamentary proceedings.
To ensure an orderly meeting, I would like to outline a few rules to follow.
Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. If you are on the video conference, please click on the microphone icon to unmute yourself. When you are not speaking, your mike should be on mute.
Interpretation is available. For those on Zoom, you have the choice, at the bottom of your screen, of floor, English or French. For those in the room, you can use the earpiece and select the desired channel. As a reminder, all comments should be addressed through the chair.
Honourable members, if you are participating in person and would like to speak, please raise your hand. If you are participating remotely using the Zoom application, please use the “raise hand” feature. With regard to a speaking list, the committee clerk and I will do the best we can to maintain consolidated order of speaking for all members, whether they are participating virtually or in person. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
In accordance with our routine motion, I'm informing the committee that all witnesses have completed the required connection tests in advance of the meeting.
I would now like to welcome our witnesses.
From the Office of the Auditor General, we have Karen Hogan, Auditor General of Canada, and David Normand, principal.
From the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, we have Chris Forbes, deputy minister.
From the Department of Employment and Social Development, we have Jean-François Tremblay, deputy minister; Lori MacDonald, senior associate deputy minister of employment and social development, and chief operating officer for Service Canada; Mary Crescenzi, associate assistant deputy minister, integrity services branch, Service Canada; Nisa Tummon, assistant deputy minister, program operations branch, Service Canada; and Brian Hickey, director general, temporary foreign worker program, skills and employment branch, ESDC.
Witnesses will have five minutes to make their opening statements.
Before I proceed, I'm going to recognize Mr. Lawrence. I see that he has his hand up.