Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think it might be useful for all members of the committee to reflect on the evolving circumstances that each and every one of us, as members of the House and as a collective, face in terms of scrutiny. This is a government oversight committee. It's a standing committee established by order of the House of Commons and established in the Standing Orders as, by necessity, being chaired by a member of the opposition. That is based on both substance and perception in that it's very important that the public—the Canadian taxpayer—understands that this oversight committee is free and open to investigate whatever is deemed important to investigate in terms of the overall operations of the Government of Canada and its decision making.
We are living in a changing environment where even the House has decided and the House leadership has decided that the meetings of the Board of Internal Economy should be made public. Every time that we go in camera, every time a government oversight committee—which is by necessity, by choice of the House, chaired by a member of the opposition to ensure its integrity and the perception of its integrity.... Every time we move in camera, we diminish that overall perception of what it is that we are to accomplish or attempting to accomplish and whether or not we'll be effective at it.
Quite frankly, I think that if there is an extension or overuse of the in camera practice, at some point in time it will draw the attention of media and the Canadian public. I say this not as a threat or as some sort of hokey-pokey sort of caution. But the reality is, for this committee to function well, for all us to be seen as functioning well within the committee, we not only have to function well, but we have to be perceived as functioning well.
That's why I think this motion is eminently responsible. It should be supported. It's left enough room that reasonable and responsible business of the committee can still be done in a more productive way, which is at times during the in camera session. But that should be the exception rather than the norm. Whenever we're discussing specifics of a government decision or government operation, that should never be in camera. What's the function of having an oversight committee if we're to do so in secret?
So I'll be voting in favour of this. Mr. Chair, I'll be asking for a recorded motion on it. I don't think the government should feel threatened by this whatsoever. In fact, I think the government should put out a press release saying that the majority of members on the government side actually brought this into effect. I think that's the better headline than official opposition proposed the motion.
With that said, thank you. If it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass, but at the very least I hope we live by its spirit regardless.