Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to note because we have a witness who definitely has some difficulty answering the questions, the committee has.... As described in chapter 20 at page 1,068 of O'Brien and Bosc's House of Commons Procedure and Practice, “The actions of a witness who refuses to answer questions may be reported to the House”. So we always have the power to do that, and I think it wouldn't be a bad thing to do, to report it back.
I also want to reference page 994, where it states: “Committees are bound by their orders of reference or instructions and may not undertake studies or present recommendations to the House that exceed the limits established by the House”.
You and the law clerk are suggesting we have more powers than the House. I think we need to have that clarified since the House has a public office-holder, that being the Information Commissioner, who definitely reports to the House and to the Speaker, so we need to keep that in mind.
I also want to keep in mind, too, for Mr. Togneri's sake, that, as cited on page 1,047 of O'Brien and Bosc:
The idea that committees are “masters of their proceedings” or “masters of their procedures” is frequently evoked in committee debates or the House. The concept refers to the freedom committees normally have to organize their work as they see fit and the option they have of defining, on their own, certain rules of procedure that facilitate their proceedings.
It continues on page 1,048:
These freedoms are not, however, total or absolute. First, it is useful to bear in mind that committees are creatures of the House.