I do not agree for one simple reason: it has happened that the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development has travelled to several cites across Canada at the same time. So we could be in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The committee has 12 members, and if only two are in Montreal, no meeting could be held and witnesses could prepare briefs that no one would hear. It has happened several times before. We could start a meeting with two members in order to hear witnesses. I even sat by myself once, in Montreal, because my colleagues from other parties for various good reasons had to leave. This is my simple reason. It is easy to get three people when we travel abroad with a full committee; we had planned to go to Washington and New York. But when we travel in our own country, the committee could split into two or three groups. In that case, it would be quite impossible to have three members at all sessions. That is why I support this motion.
On February 2nd, 2009. See this statement in context.