Mr. Chair, just in terms of preambling my question, I might as well say in the beginning that I find that completely unacceptable. In a system of ministerial accountability, it is the minister responsible for the staff in whatever is that minister's area of authority who should be before this committee. I really do believe that Mr. Baird's presence here and the way this issue is being handled for the government is a blatant disrespect for this parliamentary institution, a blatant disrespect for this committee.
When a committee asks that a witness appear, we expect that witness to be here. I think it is proper parliamentary privilege that we have in this institution. I outline in the beginning that I really do believe this is a serious affront to Parliament and could establish—I hope it doesn't—a very serious precedent. In other committees I operate on, if we invite the president of CFIA—which Randy would know well—then what happens? Does the minister appear? If we invite a witness, does another minister appear? This is an extremely dangerous precedent that the government is employing to hide we don't know what and cover up we don't know what.
I think we're making some progress with Mr. Togneri's testimony before this committee, in which he admitted publicly that he un-released documents. This committee was trying to get to the bottom of that issue, which is a right. Now we find that the very people who are involved in the system, by prime ministerial or cabinet decree, are denied an appearance before this committee, this committee where we represent Canadians. Canadians want to know the truth.
We need to be able to get to the very people who could tell us the truth, not a minister who doesn't have an association directly with Mr. Soudas. The strange scenario, I might say here, Mr. Chair, is that we have a minister before the committee—and we all know how controlling the Prime Minister's Office is—and that Mr. Soudas appeared, unaccountable, unelected, well-paid, from the Prime Minister's Office to make a statement on the weekend, which was followed up by the Conservative House leader a few moments ago.
We have appearing before us a witness, answering on behalf of Mr. Soudas, when we know the Prime Minister's Office, through Mr. Soudas, often gives ministers in his cabinet directions. That's well known in this country. How this minister can answer for Mr. Soudas, I do not know.
I would ask the minister one question to start. Do you, as Minister of Transport, Mr. Baird, have direct authority over the employment and responsibilities for Dimitri Soudas, who is supposed to be the witness here today? Do you have direct responsibility, as minister, over his direction and his activities?