I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to meeting number 13 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on October 27, 2020, the committee is beginning its study on supports and services to veterans' caregivers and families.
Welcome to all of the witnesses who have taken time to join us today.
From the Department of Veterans Affairs, we have Mr. Steven Harris, assistant deputy minister, service delivery; Mitch Freeman, director general, services delivery and program management; and Crystal Garrett-Baird, director general, policy and research.
Also, from the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman, we have Colonel Jardine, veterans ombudsman. Joining the colonel is Duane Schippers, strategic review and analysis, director and legal advisory.
Welcome to all of you, and thank you so much for your patience, and thank you for accommodating our sometimes very crazy schedule.
Without further ado, I will turn it over to Mr. Harris, who will start off with his five-minute opening remarks.
Again I will just remind people that once Mr. Harris has finished, we will go into the first rounds of questions, and at about the halfway mark, we will switch over to Colonel Jardine.
Mr. Harris, the first five minutes are all yours.