Mr. Chair, I just want to clarify what's happened in the past few days or weeks.
The committee asked for the Minister of National Revenue to appear. I had hoped she would. That doesn't mean the witnesses before us are any less worthy, but the custom and practice are that the Minister of Revenue comes and explains her plan and estimates. She has to justify them so we as parliamentarians can then approve them. I'd like to know what's happened. The minister has almost always come and defended her estimates. However, she hasn't deigned to give us a few minutes this morning to defend her estimates.
Since we invited her, how did she answer? Why doesn't she think it's important to appear before parliamentarians?