No, don't go slow. Don't push your luck.
I'm somewhat disheartened, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate that you are new to this position and that you want to serve the committee well. However, you have to understand that you cannot tell colleagues that the committee is not sitting at 5:30 p.m., and then turn around and call a meeting for 7 p.m., and again for 9 a.m. the following day. Members had already rearranged their schedules. Two colleagues who normally would be in attendance are not here.
In my opinion, it would have been preferable for us to rearrange our schedule and prolong the meeting. I respectfully submit that members need a minimum amount of lead time to rearrange their agendas when the need to do so arises, and it is not your prerogative to randomly ask them to do so.
The witnesses are here. I know that there was no bad faith on your part, but when members are informed that the committee will not be meeting at 5:30 p.m., you cannot turn around and call a meeting for 7 p.m. The witnesses took the trouble of coming here. I hope this does not become a habit. Out of three scheduled committee meetings, two have already been rescheduled. We are prepared to work with the government, but we expect to be treated with a modicum of respect.
I realize that you are new to this job and that you are eager to learn the ropes. We will let it go this time, even though proper procedure wasn't followed. I will not table a motion to adjourn, even though we would have liked to see things proceed differently.