I would like to read the routine motion so that everyone is clear and we don't have this issue again at our next meeting. The routine motions reads:
That witnesses be given five minutes to make their opening statement; that whenever possible, witnesses provide the committee with their opening statement 72 hours in advance; that at the discretion of the Chair, during the questioning of witnesses, there be allocated six minutes for the first questioner of each party as follows for the first round: Conservative Party Liberal Party Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party For the second and subsequent rounds of questioning, the order and time for questioning be as follows: Conservative Party, five minutes Liberal Party, five minutes Bloc Québécois, two and a half minutes New Democratic Party, two and a half minutes Conservative Party, five minutes Liberal Party, five minutes.
We had our first round. Based on the routine motion, members can split the time they have for their own party. This routine motion doesn't state that each member will have time. It is based on the party and based on the seats.
We had our first round. We were left with less time. We would not have been able to complete our second round, so usually—this is what I have seen since 2015—that time is allocated to all the parties based on their original time so that it is fair to everyone.
I totally understand that now when we start the second panel we will start with our first round, but in the first panel, Mr. Chong got five additional minutes, so that's not fair to the other parties. They didn't get their time. I just want to put it on the record so that we don't come up with this issue again next time.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.