Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think I agree with the principle of the motion. The principle is basically extending the motion that we adopted on July 7.
On July 7 we specifically referred to memos, emails and briefing notes from WE Charity and ME to WE. Subsequent to that, the revelations over the last three weeks really should allow us to refine how we're approaching this. First, we found out that the WE submission occurred the very same day that the Prime Minister announced the program. It is unlikely that we'll find briefing notes around this when what essentially happened was a simultaneous announcement of a program and a submission to run the program.
Second, we found out that it was not a contract signed with WE but rather with the WE Charity Foundation. The liability issues, of course, that we've been hearing about over the last few days are substantial because of the fact that it was signed with a different entity. Of course, the issue of Canada summer jobs continues to be relevant. There was a cutback in the number of positions offered at the time of a pandemic, when we really needed to see the number of student positions expanded. Many businesses and many organizations suffered, here in my neck of the woods in New Westminster—Burnaby and right across the country.
I think the intent is a very good one, but I think there need to be a number of changes. I understand having text and emails and messages, because we're finding out that it happened simultaneously. It's unlikely to be the memos, emails and briefing notes that we talked about originally. I believe the complexity of the number of organizations around WE and for-profit businesses means that we need to certainly talk about organizations or for-profit businesses that are connected with the WE family. As we've heard, there are about a dozen different entities. These weren't covered in the original motion that I brought forward for July 7.
I think there's a good intent here. I'm not convinced that we're going to be able to come to a consensus for this meeting, but we do have many opportunities now that we've expanded the study. The steering committee is meeting on Friday. I think there's an opportunity to refine and put forward a motion like this that actually gets us to the heart of many of the questions that have come up since the original request for documents was made three weeks ago. The ground is different now. We've found out many things that we didn't know on July 7. Expanding it beyond just the ME to WE and the WE Charity is important, including the for-profit businesses connected with the family.
Second, there's ensuring that we have text messages that might well go beyond the standard process. There's clearly not a standard process here at all. Bureaucrats weren't even aware of the details, and you had a submission coming the same day as the Prime Minister making his announcement.
I think there's something we can work on. Perhaps committee members want to refine it now, but I also think we have an opportunity in the next few days to come back to this issue, refine it, and adopt the motion that I think folks would be prepared to support. I would be offering some amendments today, but I'm not sure it's necessary to adopt it today. It could be something that we adopt over the next few days.