Thank you, Madam Chair.
My concern is that we've asked a number of people to come forward, and we've given them a very short window of time. I see, after one meeting, how people couldn't get here because we insisted that they be here within two days. There's no indication that they are hostile witnesses.
I think we have to be very careful about what we're doing with this committee. This is not a kangaroo court. People's reputations are at stake just by coming to this committee, and we have to be careful with that. Unless we have a sense that people are wilfully dragging their feet and refusing to come--and I have been at committees where we have had to summon because there has been a refusal.... If there is no indication that they couldn't make it on two days' notice from wherever they are in Canada to be here, and so we have to summon them, it sends the message that we think they've done something wrong.
I think we need to establish a professional tone at this committee to show that we are asking people to come forward in good faith, that we are asking to hear their testimony. And if there's anything that leads us to further discussions out of that testimony, we'll move forward. At this point, I think it would set a very unprofessional tone for this committee if we summoned people based on the fact they couldn't be here by Thursday after being asked on Tuesday.