Good morning, everyone. This is meeting number 75 of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, Thursday, March 7, 2013. Today we are continuing our study of Bill C-51, an act to amend Canada's witness protection program.
On our first panel we have, from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's staff relations representative program, Staff Sergeant Abraham Townsend of the national executive.
Welcome back. It's good to have you again before the committee.
We also have Tom Stamatakis, president of the Canadian Police Association. He is appearing by video conference this morning from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Thank you for getting up bright and early, sir, and appearing before the committee again.
I will first invite our witnesses to make brief opening statements before we proceed to questions by members of Parliament. We will begin with the RCMP.
Mr. Townsend, please.