Thank you, Mr. Poilievre. It is debate, but I think it's important to deal with it.
First of all, the committee passed a resolution to deal with this matter and at that meeting authorized the chair to arrange for Elections Canada to appear.
That was on the Thursday. On the Friday when I flew home, the first thing I did was to contact Mr. Mayrand, and we entered into some discussions. It was clear right from the outset that Elections Canada had concerns about appearing, since there were proceedings going on. There were concerns about potentially prejudicing or compromising those civil proceedings. It's clear that it's sub judice. It is not mandatory, but it is self-imposed. It is a self-imposed position that Mr. Mayrand has taken. He made those representations to me right at the outset. Under the authorization of the committee, because the committee still wanted to have Mr. Mayrand, I asked him to appear with the understanding that we would not put him in a position in which he might compromise or prejudice other proceedings. That is the deal I made with Mr. Mayrand on behalf of the committee.
Mr. Mayrand has up to this point accommodated us probably beyond where he had imagined we would go. But now he has raised with us—and I guess with me—that this was our understanding. I would also advise the members that I wrote a letter to Mr. Mayrand that outlined this understanding, and it was circulated to all members of Parliament. It dealt with the issue of potential compromise or prejudicial statements with regard to the civil proceedings. So the members were aware of this before these proceedings started.
Notwithstanding, Mr. Poilievre, I made the deal. Mr. Mayrand is imposing upon himself, which is the normal practice, the convention. He has said that he will not be able to answer questions that have already been posed in the federal proceeding and will advise us should those questions be posed again here. If he does so, by imposing that convention, I will accept his declaration, and the question will not need to be answered by him. That is my ruling.