Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First of all I just want to begin by saying how much I appreciate the work of Madame Vignola. I'm really delighted that she's back on the committee, because she always brings forward excellent studies and excellent ideas for issues that are pertinent to be studied.
On this particular motion, I'm struggling because the original motion contains the words “deplores the fact”, which MP Housefather's amended motion removes. That's important because no fact has been established by this committee. There has not been a single moment of any testimony by witnesses to establish this as fact. We have not heard from officials to understand what percentage of PPE is derived from where. As a committee, we haven't heard any testimony; we haven't had a single document in front of us to establish this as fact. Yet the original motion states that this is fact. I haven't seen any arguments. I haven't seen any evidence that states that this is fact.
I would support MP Housefather's amended motion as well because it removes that particular statement that I find problematic. I would really implore, or I would ask Madame Vignola to consider giving us a little bit of time to actually look at some of the evidence and to have some of that brought before this committee so that we can establish certain facts. I would really implore my colleague Madame Vignola to consider giving us a little time to actually look at the evidence here before we send this out.
The other part I want to raise—and this is also regarding the amendment—is that we have in Windsor—Tecumseh companies that produce PPE. They don't manufacture all of the components of that particular PPE. They assemble them. They put them together. They alter them. I would hate to see this motion discriminate in any way against companies like ours in Windsor—Tecumseh, which assemble the PPE and put it together but don't necessarily manufacture all of the components of it.
Again I implore Madame Vignola to give us time to properly discuss this, to give us time to properly study and establish the facts to make sure that the motion we put forward is surgical, specific, and rooted in testimony, evidence and fact. I would support MP Housefather's amendment, but I would certainly ask MP Vignola to consider giving us time to properly study this situation.
Thank you.