On a point of order, Madam Chair, I want to get something clarified.
Never in my years as a parliamentarian have I ever had a chair rule that any minister or any organization could not make an opening statement. I wanted the clerk to clarify for committee members, if possible, one of the routine motions that we had agreed to and passed.
I'll read the first line of the routine motion. I think it makes it very clear: “That the witnesses from any organization shall be allowed ten (10) minutes to make their opening statement.”
Madam Chair, I think the minister has some opening statements that she'd like to make. As I said, I think this is totally unprecedented. I've never seen it before.
We did pass that motion, if you want to confirm it.