It's not a friendly amendment, Mr. Chairman. It's not that I'm opposed to what Mr. Angus is trying to achieve, but it is something that a number of committees may actually wish to do, depending on the outcome of this motion. Should this indeed not be carried, I'm sure there would be considerable attempts throughout the entire standing committee structure to invite witnesses to speak to this. We may even want to do that even if we adopt this motion.
I've been following this particular program since its inception, since its first cancellation by a previous Conservative government, and since its reinstatement by the previous government. It is a program that is of immense use to a number of communities in our country, not just in regard to the official languages and status of women, because those are the two principal ones we'll find in this particular department that we're concerned with, but it'll also be applicable to people in HRSDC, certainly in Indian Affairs, Veterans Affairs, Justice, and so forth. If we're going to have to engage in hearing witnesses in order to approve this, fine, but I don't think we need to.
That's why I'm not making it a friendly amendment, Mr. Angus.