Thank you. Mr. Chair, I was preparing in my head the things I was going to say. I was going to start off by praising my colleague, Mr. Martin, for his respectful and thoughtful presentation. With the exception of the very last little fast one he tried to pull there, I still think that he was, as usual, very thoughtful, and I appreciated what he had to say. I find in these discussions often it's best to listen to the people who are speaking in the lowest tone of voice. You often get something that's worthwhile.
I've been reading the motion that Madame Lavallée proposed, both in the French and in the English. I'm not sure that the English is identical to the French, but that's not the point I'm working on. I'm going to propose an amendment, and I'm going to propose the amendment to the English, but I think if I read the French as well, you'll see where I'm coming from in the amendment that I'm going to propose to the motion.
Let me read the French first.
That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, urgently address the internal report by the Department of Foreign Affairs entitled Afghanistan-2006; Good Governance, Democratic Development and Human Rights, consider the matter, gather evidence and report on the apparent violation of the Access to Information Act.
Okay, now I'll read it in English. The important part is towards the end, but I'll read the whole thing:
That the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics urgently address the internal report by the Department of Foreign Affairs entitled Afghanistan 2006: Good Governance, Democratic Development and Human Rights, consider the matter...
It's fine so far.
...gather evidence and report on the apparent violation of the Access to Information Act.
Now the problem I see with this.... It is somewhat different in French. It talks about shining the light on the fact that the Access to Information Act.... I think it would be “might have been violated”, but in English it's “report on the apparent violation” and it presupposes the outcome. So what I am suggesting is that in the English version it be changed to “report on any violations that may have occurred to the Access to Information Act”.
I'm not sure if that requires an adjustment to the French to make them parallel, but I think you can see what I am trying to do. It's to have us not presuppose our outcome, which I think in a roundabout way was what my colleague Mr. Tilson was trying to get at. Anyway, that's the motion, and I'll stop there. Once we've decided if it's receivable and how to deal with it, I would then like to comment briefly on it, Mr. Chairman.