Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I hear Mr. Johns' point and I respect him as a colleague. He's complaining about $900 million, but of course what my constituents are asking me now is, how the heck did the NDP buffle $2.5 million when they were almost in power and the official opposition? My question to that particular member is, have they paid back the expenses?
That's a side note, Mr. Chair, and obviously I want to stay on topic and the issue at hand. The motion of Mr. Barrett is going after family members, which is not covered under the ethics act.
What Mr. Johns has said is somewhat relevant, because we're trying to ask for information from a third party that is in no way connected to WE. The Speakers Bureau is in no way connected to WE. We're asking for information from them, and they offer speaker services and client services to a bunch of organizations across Canada. I believe Rona Ambrose is a member. John Baird is a member of the Speakers Bureau—I wouldn't say a member, but I would say a speaker, part of the Speakers Bureau. They offer their services, which I respectfully say is an offer. I respect John Baird, and I certainly respect Rona Ambrose, especially for her work trying to get judges trained about sexual harassment.
This is where, Mr. Chair, I'm trying to understand where the opposition is trying to go. They've asked for the Prime Minister to appear. He has appeared. They've asked for the chief of staff to the Prime Minister. She has appeared. They've asked for the Minister of Youth and Diversification. She has appeared. They've asked for the deputy minister and the ADM to appear. They've appeared.
How long is this going to take, and is this a fair process, Mr. Chair? There is a fair process going on right now, and this is with the Ethics Commissioner. Let's let the Ethics Commissioner do his work and then, if the opposition thinks that we should go after family members who are not covered under the ethics act, the Conflict of Interest Act, then maybe that's something that—I'm not a regular member of the ethics committee—opposition members will want to look at.
Mr. Chair, I will end my comment here. I will wish my colleagues well, and I hope that the opposition parties, especially the Conservative Party, which voted against the Prime Minister appearing before committee, see the light of day.