Mr. Chair, there is one answer in theory and another in practice.
In principle, following the ruling of the Speaker on April 27, the House of Commons and its committees have the right to obtain whatever the House asks from the government. This is a fundamental right in the relationship between the government and the House of Commons. The government is responsible and must answer before the House of Commons. It must provide everything required to help the committees or the House of Commons, and it must be accountable.
But in practice, it is a matter of trust between the government and the House of Commons. At the end of the day, it becomes a political matter. If the government refuses, it is up to the House of Commons to decide whether it will accept the refusal or it will submit a motion of contempt to Parliament or something like that.
In my opinion, we could talk about parliamentary principles and legal principles, but at the end of the day, it is always a political issue. It is about the relationship between the House of Commons and the government.