 Hello, I'm Stephanie Cadue, Minister of Children and Family Development for the Province of British Columbia. With the holiday season and the close of 2012 fast approaching, many of us will be connecting with our loved ones and enjoying the company of family and friends, and families at the center of the work of the Ministry of Children and Family Development. It's estimated that our services touch the lives of approximately 127,000 children, youth and families every year. They're some of the most vulnerable families in our province and they need our support. I'd like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Children and Family Development staff and all of our government partners who've worked so hard over this past year. Our staff, service providers and advocates have helped develop our child and family centered policies, and they've provided vital resources to improve the quality of life for their fellow British Columbians to help them build better futures. Collectively, we have the capacity to reach out and help those who need extra support during the holiday season. Over the next few weeks and in the coming year, I encourage all of us to give a little bit of ourselves and instill hope and happiness in others. I wish everyone in British Columbia and their families and their loved ones a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy, successful new year.