All right, I've pounded the gavel already. According to some of the background noise we heard on our earphones here, obviously our guests are available and getting familiar. That's good.
Welcome to yet another committee of veterans affairs. I apologize to everybody for the lateness in assembling today, but another committee was previously using the room, and they went a little bit long, and then there was a matter of setting up extra tables here and reconnecting the sound system.
We are studying the veterans health care review and veterans independence program.
We apologize to Monsieur Perron, because he likes to have guests appear live, but unfortunately these individuals were snowed in. They have graciously been able to join us. Our guests today are Marcus Hollander with the Gerontological Advisory Council, and David Pedlar, director of research for the research information directorate with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Without further ado, the way it works is that I generally allow 20 minutes. It can be 10 minutes apiece or however you wish. I'm assuming you've been offered 20 minutes. That's the standard operating procedure. After that, the committee members, in a prearranged order, have the ability to ask questions.
So I turn the floor over to our guests.