I'm still hoping. The witnesses are here. I know some of them travelled long distances to be here early this morning. I'm still holding out hope that maybe we'll actually be able to hear from them today, despite this inconsiderate approach by the Liberal members of this committee.
In any event, what I find interesting about the motion in clause 1 is that it actually talks about how the Canada pension plan is “a pillar of Canada's economy”. I think that's a very important part of the motion.
It gives me the opportunity, Mr. Chair, to actually talk about Canada's economy. There's so much to say. My goodness, I could go on for hours and hours. People know how I love to talk about capital cost allowances, about accelerated depreciation, about the MURBs program from the 1970s and about Mr. Asselin's testimony that our social programs are unsustainable because interest costs are outstripping economic growth.
The thing I found interesting—which put it all together for me just this morning, Mr. Chair—was this incredible opinion piece published by The Globe and Mail. I thought I would take the opportunity, only because the motion specifically addresses the matter of Canada's economy, to actually get on the record the state of the Canadian economy. I thought I would take a few minutes—not too long—to read this opinion piece into the record. I know the folks at The Globe and Mail will be very happy to see that I'm reading this important piece into the record. Let me proceed with that.