I call the meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 34 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. The committee is meeting today from 4:33 p.m. until 6:33 p.m. today to hear from the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada and officials on the subject matter of the main estimates 2021-22 and the departmental plan 2021-22.

During the last 30 minutes of the meeting, we will go in camera to consider our report on the Nuctech security equipment contract study.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind all participants at this meeting that screenshots or taking photos of your screen are not permitted.

To ensure an orderly meeting, I would like to outline the following. Interpretation in this video conference will work very much like a regular committee meeting. You have a choice at the bottom of your screen of floor, English or French. Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. When you are ready to speak, you can click on the microphone icon to activate your mike. When you are not speaking, your mike should be on mute.

To raise a point of order during the meeting, committee members should ensure that their microphone is unmuted and say “point of order” to get the chair’s attention.

The clerk and the analysts are participating in the meeting virtually today. If you need to speak with them during the meeting, please email them through the committee email address. The clerk can also be reached on his mobile phone.

For those people who are participating in the committee room, please note that masks are required unless seated and when physical distancing is not possible.

I will now invite the minister to make her opening statement.

Please go ahead, Minister.

Robert Gordon Kitchen

$487,440.00