I would like to answer my esteemed colleague.
It is in fact the clerk's privilege to invite people. It is not René Villemure who invites a witness. On the other hand, before putting a name on the list, I show the courtesy of asking people if they would be willing to appear. In this case, they stated that they would be willing to join us, that is all. It is the clerk though who would make the invitation once the witness list is submitted to her.