I understand that people have differing viewpoints and so forth, but from everyone I have spoken to who has sat on this committee beforehand, including you, Mr. Chair, and from all of the feedback I've heard, this committee has worked extremely well. There has been a spirit of cooperation and collaboration, and that's why it's unfortunate that this meeting is getting off to the start that it is.
I think it's important that the speakers list that is formed by the clerk be respected. I understand that people get passionate and want to interrupt other speakers, but I think I was on the speakers list twice and I was interrupted by one of our colleagues. I think it's important that if you have something to say, you raise your hand and go in turn, whenever your name is on the speakers list.
The second thing I wanted to bring forward is the fact that right now we're not scheduled to sit on Wednesday. If people have such difficulty voting for an important motion.... I think all of us around this room do want to hear from the minister, and we do want to ask him questions on what's impacting cultural organizations across the country and impacting many Canadians, but if we are not scheduled to sit on Wednesday because we cannot resolve an issue in five minutes, which I think would be very simple, then I would request that you call a meeting and we utilize all of the resources we have around the table here just to deal with a simple motion, because people in this room are not being flexible enough to deal with it at hand. I think having to call a meeting on Wednesday because we are not being flexible and perhaps prudent enough to deal with an important motion is really a waste of the resources, the time and energy of the people of the House of Commons, especially the administrative staff.