Mr. Chairman, I do think it's germane. We need to deal with the issue that's currently on the floor, or that has been mentioned by members of the opposition, with respect to the number of times this committee is going to meet. It's very difficult for me to agree to how many witnesses we're going to have in an hour, or how much they're going to speak, or how much people are going to question, when, frankly, it sounds like the urgency being placed on moving this bill forward doesn't seem to be apparent.
I'm really concerned about that. We have artists who aren't being paid for their work that's being copied in Canada, at a rate that eclipses that of any other country. We have software companies that are not protected in Canada right now. We have the number two video game industry in the world, and it's not adequately protected, and they're telling us that. We have the Chamber of Commerce, which has long been lobbying to get this done. And I have people who want to meet for four hours a week? This is not acceptable.
It's not acceptable. We need to meet a lot more than that, and there is ample precedent for special legislative committees. Since 2006, since we've been government, and since I've been here, they have worked intensive schedules.
I think it's a pipe dream over there to think that it's responsible to meet four hours a week on this. I would personally propose that we meet for three hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning. We could look at shutting down the heritage committee in the afternoons on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That would give us at least another two hours. We could look at a Wednesday afternoon schedule as well.
We've all talked to these witnesses. We all understand this bill. I understand that it's a complex bill, but the members who have been put on this committee are here because they already have an understanding of it. It is important--it is imperative--that we move this bill forward, not only for the good of the Canadian economy and Canadian artists, but also for our international relations. I hope that people on the opposite side of the bench are going to take this seriously and undertake due diligence to get this bill moved forward and through this committee.
Thank you.