Pursuant to its order of reference of Wednesday, February 13, 2008, the committee will resume its study of Bill C-20, an Act to provide for consultations with electors on their preferences for appointments to the Senate.
I am delighted to see that our members have joined us today for what is probably our last meeting until the fall. I'm sure many of you thought we'd be recessed by now, but we could not go to the summer without hearing from one witness who is more engaged on the topic that this committee has been charged with studying.
Senator Bert Brown was appointed to the Senate after competing in three Senate elections in Alberta. He has also been involved in the debate on electing senators for more than 20 years. He has even ploughed the concept of Senate reform into the Alberta landscape with his tractor, I'm told.
I think we're all looking forward to your insight, sir. Please begin.