Let me address the member's question that I interrupted. I can refer members to Standing Order 111(2), which says we “shall examine the qualifications and competence of the appointee or nominee to perform the duties”. Marleau and Montpetit, on page 876 in the English version, repeats this:
Questioning by members may be interrupted by the Chair, if it attempts to deal with matters considered irrelevant to the committee's inquiry
—that being the qualifications and competence.
Among the areas usually considered to be outside the scope of the committee's study are the political affiliation of the appointee or nominee, contributions to political parties and the nature of the nomination process itself.