Mr. Chair, I think we must first situate debate in its appropriate context.
We are parliamentarians, it is our responsibility to make law, and we must do so in an informed fashion. I could have presented another amendment whereby we would not have begun clause-by-clause consideration before having ourselves first called upon experts and legal advisers who could advise the committee. We could have gone to the House, asked for a budget and hired experts. However, given that we do not want to delay analysis of the bill and that the leaders have pledged to ensure that the bill is sent back to the House by November 23rd, I did not table this amendment.
I was a member of the subcommittee that studied organized crime. Indeed, a subcommittee had been created at a time when, in the presence of the Hells Angels, bombs were exploding in our communities. We had sworn under oath not to make certain information public. We are parliamentarians. I feel that if I take an oath and promise to respect the confidential nature of information provided in camera, then I am going to honour that promise.
Unless the government fears—