I just want to clarify something. Just because a system is working, or people have been lulled into this false sense of security that they have the ability to understand estimates and vote on them, does not mean that the system functions. When I say “functions”, as parliamentarians, we do not have clarity on things. If I were to vote on the main estimates without knowing what the budget is all about, I would definitely want the system aligned. I remember being the chair of OGGO, and we did have to get people to understand how the estimates function and then what the budget did.
To clarify what you were telling me, if the system is not broken, why are you fixing it? It has worked for so many years. We want engaged and educated members of Parliament so they can hold the government responsible, whether it's this government, the next government, whatever. That's the only reason we want this aligned. When people talk about timing, we haven't studied timing, as Mr. Drouin pointed out. We take one or two meetings to study it, and we get ministers before us, and we have managed that timing. If alignment comes, dates come in, it would help our process. That's all we're saying. The committee can work on whether it's April 1 or May 1, or we can have Minister Brison come forth, because only pillar one will change the Standing Orders, nothing else.
Thank you.