I was going to say that I think we're all mindful of the Prime Minister's declared objective to have this legislation in place for July 1, 2018. I, for one, and the New Democrats are generally supportive of this legislation and generally we want to facilitate that passage, particularly since, as everybody on this committee knows, we've been raising the spectre of Canadians being convicted of possession each and every day that this legislation doesn't get passed, so we want it passed soon.
But let's be honest: we're talking about a date that is over a year from now, and even if we start in the first week of September, that gives us an entire parliamentary calendar year to get this legislation through committee and third reading in the House and then the Senate.
I know that the Senate has had a sudden renaissance of independence in it that is creating some interesting challenges for the government, but nevertheless, I think that if we have other days scheduled in September, and this committee has finished its clause-by-clause by the first few weeks of October, it would go back to the House for third reading by, say, October 15, and that would give a month or six weeks in the House, and this bill could be over in the Senate by December 1.
There is absolutely no urgency. There is no reason to rush this bill when we can get it to the Senate by the end of this year, or even into January, giving the Senate five months to pass it.
I just want to really emphasize that. From my point of view and the New Democrats' point of view, we want to make sure there is fulsome opportunity for public and stakeholder input into this bill, and that's what we'll be urging as we consider this study. I don't think four days, with 72 witnesses, is going to do it.