Mr. Mulcair, I wasn't at the transport subcommittee where this was discussed, but my understanding is that it was the transport subcommittee and a member from each political party was there. It was not from the full transport committee with respect to a joint meeting with the full finance committee.
With respect to the agenda here today, it was my understanding as chair that members, even before the budget implementation bill was passed, wanted the finance committee to study this issue expeditiously, which is why we started infrastructure prior to the passing of the budget implementation bill, and it was my understanding that this was a priority of this committee. That's how I proceeded.
If the committee wants to proceed, I guess we would wait for a full motion from the full transport committee to study this item. If they want to hold a joint committee in the future, that's up to this committee and the transport committee. But it was from the subcommittee of the transport committee that the chair wrote it, and I understand that all four political parties were represented at that subcommittee.
But this is a finance committee meeting, at which members are free to substitute in or out if they have an interest in this particular issue.
We will now get to the agenda.
We have one individual and five organizations here for this panel of an hour and a half: first of all, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters; second, the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper; third, CanoeKayak Canada; fourth, as an individual, Mr. Jack MacLaren; fifth, the University of Ottawa; and sixth, the Department of Transport. If I can ask each of you to do an opening statement of not more than five minutes, we'll go in that order. Then we'll go to questions from members.
Mr. Farrant, we'll begin with you and work our way down the table.