Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let me just say, with the greatest of respect to my friends Mr. Fraser and Mr. Fragiskatos, who downplay the seriousness of what we are looking at, that Canadians care about ethics and integrity in government. Let's also be clear that this particular program falls within the legislative authority that Parliament has vested in the finance minister, so it is perfectly appropriate that this committee hold hearings to get answers in this matter.
With respect to the motion that has been put forward by Mr. Poilievre, it is not open-ended. It is a way to proceed that will allow the committee to call the appropriate witnesses at the appropriate times to get the answers that Canadians deserve.
When the initial motion was passed, it provided for four meetings. Every passing day there have been new revelations. Which witnesses might need to be called, how much time and how many more meetings are required have yet to be determined until we hear further evidence. Let us follow the facts. Let us follow the evidence. That is what this motion simply provides for.
I find it interesting that the Liberals on this committee are so keen on rushing witnesses through all in a week. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that in order for this committee to properly do its job, to absorb the testimony of key witnesses, to be able to formulate questions, to be able to identify inconsistencies, to identify issues arising from testimony, it's simply not feasible or practical to do that in back-to-back-to-back hearings.
This motion would allow our committee to take sufficient time to do our job. I know that's something the Liberal members on this committee are not particularly excited about. Let's face it: the allegations that have come out, by the day, have become more and more serious. We're talking about a contribution of $1 billion that was tagged to an organization that socially, politically and financially benefited the Prime Minister and his family and the finance minister and his family. We're talking about multiple breaches of the Conflict of Interest Act.
I know that they'd like to overwhelm this committee. They'd like to overwhelm the media. They'd like to overwhelm Canadians, effectively, to cover up what has in fact gone on.
I was there during the SNC-Lavalin scandal. I sat on the justice committee. I was there when Liberal MPs, using their majority, shut down the committee, shut down the ability of the committee to hear from witnesses who were prepared to appear. They walked out the back door, afraid to take questions, afraid to face the media because they knew what they were doing was wrong.
Well, the good news this time is that they don't have a majority. They don't have the ability to shut down this committee's ability to call witnesses, as they did during SNC-Lavalin.
I say this to my friends on the Liberal side: If you really are interested in getting answers, if you really are interested in allowing our committee to do its work and to call the appropriate witnesses, then let's provide sufficient flexibility to do just that, to call the appropriate witnesses based upon the evidence. Let us follow the evidence. Let us have sufficient time to do it well.
Thank you.