Thank you, Chair.
I just wanted to respond very briefly to your comments when you stepped out of the chair.
Chair, I disagree most strongly that this amendment or this motion would in any way limit our ability as a committee to look at the issues we want to review, any issue related to access to information. I think we can encourage the government to bring forward a new piece of legislation and set a deadline for it, given the length of time that has passed without that kind of legislation.
Even though we do that, I don't think we have to wait until March 2010 to look at other issues that may affect access to information in Canada. If this committee wants to look at administrative issues like proactive disclosure or cost recovery, or if it wants to look at an electronic application system, we could choose to do that. There's nothing in this motion or this amendment that would prevent us from doing that in the meantime.
In fact, Chair, I would say we could even look at specific legislative issues related to access to information, even if we pass this motion. I believe there's enough on the table and enough water under the bridge; there have been enough presentations and enough studies that the government has the information it needs to bring forward a recommendation, bring forward legislation. We don't need to do one more hearing on it to make that possible for the government. It has that information. It has its own opinions. It has its own commitments and its own platform promises, as well, on practically all of these issues.
Chair, there is nothing in Madam Freeman's motion calling on the government to bring forward legislation in a certain timeframe and nothing in our expression of disappointment in the minister's response that would preclude any progress on this issue. I want to make that point very strongly. That's why I'll be supporting both.
Thank you, Chair.