Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm sorry that I didn't have the motion handy. I have a folder here, as you can see, with all the motions that have been presented in this committee. I do try to keep track. It is not easy to do so. I suppose we can dispense with those ones for now or keep them for a later date. Maybe they'll be revived. I don't know if anyone has any way...because it's just getting heavier and heavier. That's not good for my back, I can tell you that.
I'm sorry. I am old school. I do like paper. It allows me to read, analyze, take notes and so on.
I listened with great interest to my colleague from the public accounts committee. I think there is something to be said here. This is a topic that has come up on many an occasion, even in this committee: that we shouldn't be duplicating work.
You know, by all accounts, there's only a limited time left on our mandate here to the 44th Parliament. We should make the best use of it. There are many issues that we need to be discussing. I'd like to have an update on reports, perhaps, that have been left unfinished and work that needs to be continued from other motions that apparently other members are interested in pursuing.
I appreciate the offer of limiting this study to two meetings, but how about zero meetings? Let's let the public accounts committee do its work.
Indeed, while talking about letting somebody do their work, it has often been my observation that this committee attempts to do the work of our independent commissioners of Parliament, namely the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, not to mention other commissioners from time to time. However, it's chiefly the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We try to get ahead of where he is if there is an issue. I'm sure that members are very capable of alerting the commissioner if they feel there's a conflict of interest issue, as are any members of the public. Anyone who is concerned about this situation could make that known to the commissioner.
We have seen him, in some cases repeatedly on the same complaint—one, two, three, four times—come back with the same conclusion. It apparently was not sufficient for members at that time, but it is still consistent with the role of an independent agent, an officer of Parliament. They do their work, their investigation, and make a report. That is something I certainly would suggest.
As it stands, I cannot support this motion.
Thank you.