Mr. Chair, I have concerns with the broad breadth of this motion. I'm not speaking to the amendment; I'm speaking to the motion itself. I have absolutely no interest in going through another review of the tar sands for what the province does. We have had review after review and an excellent open public review.
It's not our mandate to look at what the province is doing. I would be very opposed to provincial officials coming in. It's our responsibility to look at what the federal government's area of responsibility and jurisdiction is and whether they are delivering those responsibilities vis-à-vis the tar sands and the related water resources. I don't know if we have to amend it--I don't know if that would be our agreement--but we're going to have a limited number of witnesses we can hear.
I'm also not interested in just going on a tourism trip to the tar sands. If we're going to do that, then it has to be led by some independent people. We need to also have a meeting in Fort Chip and Fort McMurray with the first nations, since we probably can't bring them all in.
I would also be insistent that we include witnesses from those down river who are affected transboundary, the Deh Cho and Smith's Landing, as the beginning, and the Métis and first nations on the Saskatchewan side of the Athabasca Lake.