Thank you.
First, I do support the minister coming, and I support the department coming. I don't think that it needs to happen before next Friday. I absolutely don't agree that we should be suspending the study in the meantime. I think we should set a date, such as November 20, when we come back after a break week. Next week many of us are going to be committed to being in our ridings, standing with our veterans, honouring our veterans and people in our communities, as we should be.
Second, this study isn't meant to replace the nation-to-nation dialogue that's supposed to be happening right now. I'm hoping that's what the minister is doing, meeting with the nation, having that important dialogue, as she should be. This committee is looking at the Marshall decision and the implementation of it, but this is not to replace the important work that the minister is supposed to be doing with that nation. I don't think we're going to change how that discussion is going, and that should not be our job.
In fact, if that's what people on this committee think, then we're undermining the process that's happening, which is the proper process, and that is the minister having nation-to-nation dialogue.
I would support an amendment to both motions. One would be to extend this one to November 20. Then I'll be looking at moving a motion that we don't suspend this committee before the minister comes. We have important witnesses, like the ones today, whom we should be listening to. Instead, this motion was tabled in the middle of their testimony, which I think is totally disrespectful, and it is disrespectful to everybody who is listening to this whole study.