But, Mr. Minister, the government as a whole is an entirely different story.
I want to go back to the beginning, because when you started off, you talked at some length about the important work of this committee. You even mentioned the Federal Accountability Act. However, what we've seen in practice, I think, is a Prime Minister and a government that basically, regardless of what the Federal Accountability Act says, have subverted the ability of parliamentarians like ourselves, both in the House and at committee, to do our jobs.
You're aware of the issue of the three witnesses: Mr. Togneri, who is still under summons; Ms. Jillian Andrews, whom the bailiff couldn't find to issue a summons; and Mr. Soudas, who appears in TV pretty nearly every second or third night, to whom the bailiff couldn't issue a summons either. They're not appearing before committee.
I want to just put on the record, Mr. Chair, some of the scenario behind this. The clerk got a letter on June 1 from the Prime Minister, in which he said, “The purpose of this letter is to inform the Committee of my instruction to Mr. Soudas that he will not appear before the Committee”. He said in the letter:
Next week I will be present in Question Period on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Questions about these matters can be directed to me there.
Ms. Foote asked a question to the Prime Minister in question period. He didn't answer, so he didn't keep his word in that regard--that he would answer questions.
So the Prime Minister is not answering questions on Mr. Soudas from members of this committee, and Mr. Soudas is not appearing before the committee. Then we had the law clerk before the committee, Mr. Rob Walsh, and this is what he had to say--