Mr. Chair, I am opposed to that. With all due respect to Mr. Bélanger, my position is still the same. It is not our responsibility to conduct the study that the Department of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages was to conduct. I even filed a complaint with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. Canadian Heritage must conduct consultations, as it is directed to do by the act. That is my position. It is not up to us to do it. A study does not replace consultations. Personally, I am not considering it; I do not support it.
Furthermore, I think it is really important that the people we invite be able to testify here. When they do not, it is because they are unavailable and we are unable to reach an arrangement. In that kind of case, we use the teleconferencing service. However, that service should not replace face-to-face meetings with witnesses, when we ask them questions, which leads to dialogue. We save perhaps $30,000 through teleconferencing, but there is no human aspect to the discussions.
I think we should continue doing what we are currently doing. We didn't choose to spend three or four months on a study. Now that these people will be testifying, I believe it is important that they have the same opportunity as the others.
Thank you.