Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for their testimonies today.
I would like to go straight to questions to hear from you, but there's another issue that I have to interject here at this time.
The opening statements today draw more attention to this. We really need to hear from the minister on questions in addition to the many questions we have previously and unanimously agreed to invite the minister to answer, but she has declined five of the six invitations this year. Because the minister has repeatedly declined to appear at this committee, we have not been able to ask her questions that many Canadians have on a number of topics on the minister's portfolio.
Therefore, I move:
That the committee express its deep disappointment that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard has declined five requests to appear before the committee to answer questions on important matters related to her portfolio, and that this be reported back to the House.
This motion was put on notice on April 26, 2024.
Before my honourable colleagues speak to the motion and possibly move amendments, I suggest that if the parliamentary secretary can commit to consulting with the minister and providing to the committee by the end of the day Monday, May 6 a firm date for the minister to appear at the committee for no fewer than two hours in May, I will accept that debate on this motion be adjourned.