Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think basically Alex is asking for an extension to meet some of the requirements of Parliament. As my colleague said, there have been a number of interruptions. I do not see this going through to the deadline the clerk mentioned. I think we are in reasonable agreement to three or four more meetings to clean up the witness lists.
Another priority for us before the November break is to hear from the department on some of the programs that people in the farming community see leaving them in a financial dilemma. So we definitely have to have the department before us as soon as possible, but I do not see this extension jeopardizing that requirement.
We have to deal with legislation as a committee, but we have a responsibility to the farming community out there to deal with issues that are affecting them on a day-to-day basis. I'm just putting a caveat in that we need to hear from the department. I think all of it can be handled prior to the November break.
I'm in support of Alex's extension so that we can get all that done.