Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to the committee for welcoming me today.
At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I can confirm that the study on foreign interference is a priority for Mr. Villemure. It needs to be conducted in the very short term. I am replacing him this week, but he will be back next week. There is nothing forcing us to wait for Mr. Villemure to plan things. He will be the one who is here.
A relevant motion was tabled today, and we would agree with starting the study right away. The agenda for this Friday's meeting is already set, but we could have the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and the minister appear next week.
I have one reservation about examining foreign interference once a week. While it is perfectly fine to dedicate one day per week to foreign interference, we should not box ourselves in by making it every Tuesday or every Friday. We should find a way to keep some flexibility since witnesses, particularly European Union witnesses, will undoubtedly raise other topics.
That being said, making it a priority is exactly what Mr. Villemure expects.