Thank you.
I am actually hearing a lot of agreement. I'll just preface my comments by saying that of course the minister is busy, and of course the health officials are busy—so are we—but accountability to Parliament and to this health committee is not an inconvenience. It is part and parcel of what we are elected to do. Canadians send us here to Parliament either to govern, if you're on the government side, or, if you're in the opposition, to hold the government to account. That's not accountability when it's convenient or just when you're not busy; it's kind of busy all the time.
I think there's a compromise here, and I'm going to move that we amend the motion to have the minister appear, if she can, on the supplementary estimates (B) before November 6. That's two weeks. Again, as has been pointed out on all sides of this question, this doesn't compel the minister to come, but I think it gives the minister a reasonable opportunity. I think two weeks' notice of an appearance for her to come before the health committee is a reasonable amount of time in the circumstances.
I would also just say that the pandemic argument is really a double-edged sword. I've heard it argued that we can't have the minister come because she's just completely preoccupied and busy with this pandemic that is ravaging our country. On the other hand, I would argue that the seriousness with which this issue is affecting our country is all the more reason why we need to have accountability.
I don't know that any of us disagree with any of that, by the way. To break the logjam, I would move that we amend the motion to invite the minister to appear by November 6.