Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Chair, I have to speak against this motion at this time. We were having a very productive committee business meeting just before this, where I think we all agreed that we have some important that we can get moving on. We know there are a number of outstanding issues regarding the pandemic spending motion, so this is not the time to be discussing this motion, which I think would preclude the work that we are doing and trying to complete as a committee.
I have to say again that when we look at the MindGeek study, we are very close to completing it. This is where we need to be spending our time right now, so that we can move forward on the additional witnesses we need to hear and we're able to move to the report-writing stage. We have limited time before us. I think this is where the committee needs to be spending its time.
Mr. Fortin's motion, which has come up before, is more appropriate at the report-writing stage of the pandemic study, and not at this time. I have to say that I cannot agree with this motion. I feel that it is unfortunate that we are precluding the work we're doing, not only on MindGeek, where, as we know, we had some 40 to 50 briefs from Canadians and advocates, from people who are active in this area and who are very interested in seeing the outcome of that study. This is something that we need to continue working forward on.
I do think that other motions for other studies, including the facial recognition study, which has been brought up by Mr. Angus—and I know that we have members on our side who are very interested in that study as well—bear some particular attention to see how we can fit that into the timeline we have before us.
It's regrettable, and I understand that. We've already spent some time studying the issues in Mr. Fortin's motion, but given what has happened with the study and the witnesses called to appear, we can't now devote time to this motion.
I'd also like a copy of Mr. Barrett's motion. When motions are only made verbally, sometimes we don't have all the elements in front of us. I would appreciate it if the clerk could give us a copy of Mr. Barrett's motion.
Perhaps, then, we could suspend for a few minutes while we get the exact wording of the motion, Mr. Chair.