Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the comments made by my colleagues.
Following Budget 2011, which reiterated our willingness to proceed with this very important study, a number of calls were received from charities like Imagine Canada and Habitat for Humanity. The scope of this study is going to be large.
As I say, we've already received numerous requests to appear that would more than fill four meetings, just to start with the charities that have specific tax implications, etc. We also have to look at the tax experts and how this will affect taxes and the incentives for donors to donate. We're going to want to hear from people who might be affected by that. Four doesn't even come close.
We talk about the world situation. It is absolutely something that is being monitored, and I know that's something that all parties here in this committee agree to admit to: we're all monitoring it. There is no crystal ball. No one can predict what's going to happen with that, which is why our committee has in the past worked collaboratively to put those issues forward in an emergency situation.
We saw just this past summer a request to discuss the global economy and to discuss where we're at. We were willing to do that. All of us came back from summer break and did that. Nothing that we plan right now says there is no room for urgent situations that arise to be dealt with. I think this committee will work well together to do those things, but right now we need to plan our agenda so that the clerks and the analysts can move forward to start booking rooms and people.
Again, if something urgent comes up, I encourage all members of this committee to bring it forward and to bring your motions forward. Absolutely, it will be considered, and we'll proceed as we always have.
Pre-budget consultations are coming. Many of the issues that have been brought up while we're discussing this motion will in fact be discussed during pre-budget consultations by many of the witnesses. We've received more than 300 requests. We're slowly but surely making plans to consult Canadians with regard to the upcoming budget for next year.
Those things will be discussed. There is an opportunity for people to speak to this committee on those issues, but we need to plan ahead. Four meetings won't even cover the charities that have asked to appear here. We've all agreed not to stack our meetings with too many people, because they don't get the benefit of a true voice here. We want to have a fulsome discussion. We want to make sure that our meetings are not so over-stacked that nobody gets to actually put forward their position.
I would again suggest that we stick to the 12 meetings. I know we're talking about the amendment now; I'll be voting against the amendment for that simple reason. It would not even encompass all of the requests that we're going to get, and for the purpose of preplanning, I think it's important that we start to plan. I hope members will take that under consideration when they vote for or against this amendment.