Thank you, Madam Chair.
Before I begin, I'd like to ask you and our clerk a question.
As part of the study, we had extended invitations to ministers to appear on this important study, which, may I remind all members, was initiated by a motion by my Liberal friends. We had invited the Minister of Industry, the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement to appear.
This is an important study. I guess we will all agree to that. The government has announced $81.1 billion in spending over a five-year period on defence. We've also released the new defence industrial strategy.
I'm just asking you and the clerk about the status of these invitations and the reasons that these individuals can or can't appear.