Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to speak in favour of the motion and hope that we can pass this motion swiftly, because I think it is something that all members of this committee should be interested in. Briefly, the motion raises what I think we all understand and can easily see as five major, pressing, important and timely issues.
It talks about AstraZeneca. Of course there is a great focus right now on the issues around AstraZeneca, and I think that might be the number one issue in Canada and for the provinces in terms of their vaccination protocols.
The AG's report came out last week, and I think it's fair to say that it was a pretty comprehensive and concerning report on a number of problems. My main concern there is not necessarily to look for accountability, although I think that's important, but rather to make sure that the errors that have been identified in that report are being taken seriously and worked on by the government, because obviously, as lead agency of Canada, the Public Health Agency needs to be top-notch in terms of preparing for the next outbreak or emergency that no doubt will come.
Dosing intervals, I think, are also a very timely topic. I won't repeat my comments on AstraZeneca, but I think the emerging and changing information we're getting on that would be helpful to explore.
The EU exports are obviously [Technical difficulty—Editor] recent pronouncements that they may be looking at further curbs, which is of concern to Canadians.
Finally, the modelling issues, of course, are also very important.
I think there are five major issues, as the chair pointed out. We have cross-party support for this. That's the first time, I think, that at this committee in this Parliament we've seen not only the Conservatives, the NDP and the Bloc all signing on to the meeting on Standing Order 106, but also that there is a majority signature for it. Of course I cast no aspersions on my Liberal colleagues, who I am sure recognize the importance of all these issues as well. I anticipate and hope they'll join in supporting this.
My last point I'd make on this is that the motion does require that the meeting be held no later than next Wednesday. I would propose that it be held next Wednesday for a number of reasons. It's a week from today. It gives all of us a day to prepare on Tuesday, because Monday is a holiday, including for the ministerial staff and various people. It gives the ministers the maximum amount of time to make any adjustments to their schedules they may need to make, and I just think it makes eminent sense to do it on the Wednesday.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and by the way, thank you for your information about tabling those reports and the letter. That's very expeditious of you, so thank you for doing that on behalf of the committee.