Okay. Sorry about that, Chair.
Yes, we all agreed to interrupt the study briefly to hear from these witnesses. Then I heard the motion to extend the hours so more witnesses could come forward to give us a comprehensive view on the Pornhub study, because we have the power to recommend, through the House, to the government, the actions that need to be taken to protect vulnerable youth especially, but at the same time respect people's right to privacy, to expression and the right to work. We have to keep that balance, so I thought that testimony was very important.
We are again talking about Monsieur Fortin's motion. It has brought us right back into this extensive debate on a motion on a study that is looking at money that was never spent by the government.
I want to respectfully ask members to just keep your priorities. I looked at all these...whether it's face recognition, whether it's.... These are more urgent and should be in a higher position on our priority list of the committee.
Obviously we're in a deadlock, as cited by Ms. Lattanzio.
You said there are two options, and one is for Mr. Fortin to withdraw the motion, to vote on the motion; and the other is to suspend it or adjourn the debate and then move on to perhaps another study and park this for a little while. Let our caucus and colleagues work out the difference. Maybe they're more brilliant than we are. Maybe they can work out the difference and find a common ground. Give them some time to work it out but not stall the work of the committee, and we can move on to something that's more urgently needed.
When I talk about facial recognition—and Mr. Angus and Mr. Fergus would agree with me—I heard from my community that there is a lot of interest in this. However, the window of opportunity is closing. We are losing a very important, precious opportunity to do a sound study and review of what's going on right now.
I don't want to go on and on and repeat myself, but I sincerely ask members to look at this motion and understand that this is an outcome or part of an outcome of a very random impression. I can't help but suspect that the opposition, whether they're Conservative, whether the Bloc caucus, has any interest to completing this study, because as I said from the beginning, going back to last year until now, there has been concession after concession after concession from the Liberal caucus.
We agreed to look at these documents and we had a huge debate on this. What happened? Those documents were released to the members. Did any new evidence come out of our ability to look at other family members' financial situations? No. There was no new information.
Was this questioning of staff based on new information? No, it wasn't. It was based on old news, from August of last year. You can't blame me for suspecting that the opposition has no intention.... When I say “opposition”, of course I don't mean everybody, but I ask whether the leadership of the Conservative caucus, of the Bloc caucus, have any interest to complete this study?
We can vote on this motion, and is that the end of it? I really have to doubt it, because based on what I've seen, there is no interest. There is only interest to drag this on and to stop the important work of the committee.
Of course, I hear members on the committee talk about how much they want to move into other important studies, but I can't see it.
Rationally, I'm judging by what I'm hearing and the actions that have taken place in the last eight, nine or 10 months, and I can't come to a conclusion that there is interest in wrapping up this study.
There I've said it. That's just my observation. It may be unfair, but I'm still waiting for that gesture to assure me that there is that interest in moving on.
Through you, Chair, to my honourable colleagues, please give me that gesture. We've been very close to the end many times. We've been given the gestures, and we've believed them. We took a dive. We said, “Let's do it.” Then with a random question by the member for Carleton, everything is back in the circle again and we're just chasing our tails.
With that, I will cede the floor. I don't want to unnecessarily extend the conversation. If I see another point that I want to debate, I'll come back, but with that I will cede the floor to my honourable colleagues.
Thank you.