I will be brief, Mr. Chair.
I just wanted to thank all my colleagues for welcoming me; I am most grateful.
I feel the love.
I would now like to respond to my Conservative colleagues.
Colleagues, I appreciate that the amendments you proposed are not ready in writing, but that's fine. I think we should get them any moment now. That's wonderful.
With respect to the witnesses you're suggesting, I think we can come to an agreement on these, and of course, Mr. Lawrence, the housing supply periods that you're proposing make a lot of sense.
In the spirit in which Mr. Blaikie just finished his intervention about perhaps getting to a vote on this important study today, I would suggest that we reserve, as it is indicated in the motion.... Let's see how things go. If we need additional meetings, that is possible, but to change the dates, as was proposed by the Conservatives, would seem to me to leave not enough time to complete the pre-budget consultations, which I know is a priority for this committee.
As colleagues also know, government legislation is going to be coming to this committee. I would propose, in the interest of the co-operation I'm seeing around the table, to accept the witness amendments and the housing supply period amendment proposed by my colleague Mr. Lawrence, and leave the dates as they are in Mr. Blaikie's motion. Again, this is with the hope that we can come to a vote before the end of our meeting today.