In your motion, you have said you want us to undertake a study on the RCMP's decision not to pursue a criminal investigation. From this, and from the newspaper reports that came out fairly recently about their decision not to pursue an investigation, I'm assuming that's the focus of what you want to study, not the entire SNC-Lavalin, which was already done in the past.
Looking at the conflict of interest commissioners, both past and present, a valid question to them would be, was it referred to the RCMP? That's certainly a question. But in terms of decisions—and I'll go back to this again—on whether or not charges should be laid, why they didn't lay charges and what their reasons were, that fully rests with the RCMP and those who work there.
I don't think Mr. Green's amendment is necessarily a bad one, but I think as a committee we need to decide what it is we want to study, and, really, it's the RCMP. If they give us information that we need more information on, that's one thing. But I don't think any of us would suggest that Mr. Butts interfered in a criminal investigation. The RCMP put out a statement through the deputy minister in March 2023. Mr. Butts has been gone for several years. They made the decision on their own.
I think there are valid questions to be asked of the RCMP, but I support Ms. Khalid's amendment that one meeting with the RCMP would be sufficient. If, once we hear from them, we determine that there are more meetings we need to have, then I think that's valid. But in terms of the initial meeting, if that's what we want to study, I think one meeting with the RCMP would be sufficient to get the answers we're looking for.
Thank you, Chair.