I think I've already said in my opening statement that I agreed with you, that Mr. Soudas is accountable and responsible to the Prime Minister. In our parliamentary system, that's the way it works. It's incredibly rare for a sitting Prime Minister to appear before committee.
I'm a senior member of the government. We have collective responsibility. I've been asked directly by the Prime Minister to come here and respond to any questions and legitimate concerns you might have about the oversight of government. I just think that if you have a problem with ministers—in this case, it's the Prime Minister—you should go after them. Don't go after their staff. Don't try to intimidate or bully the staff.
If you have a problem with someone, you go after them. If you have a problem with my office, you come after me. You can't haul people before this committee in a hostile, partisan interrogation—people who can't fight back for themselves. If you have a problem with the government, it is ministers in our system. You're a former minister; you know it well.
Ministers are responsible, and I'm here to accept that responsibility.