That's okay. I appreciate your using the term Ms., but not Mr. To my knowledge, I have not undergone a sex change operation.
I concur with what my colleagues Mr. Proulx and Mr. Guimond have said.
I've been an MP for eight and a half, almost nine, years and all of the committees on which I've served have always abided by the internal rule whereby documents are not circulated to members unless they are available in both official languages.
Mr. Reid mentioned the Charter. Obviously, witnesses who testify before the committee as well as members and staff have the right to use either official language and to draft documents in their preferred language. However, as an MP and citizen, I have the right to receive documents or to hear testimony in my preferred language. That's why some committee members rely on the interpretation services. It is my right to speak French or to switch from French to English, but the other members present have the right to listen to my comments in their preferred language.
Mr. Proulx is quite right in saying that witnesses are entitled to draft their submissions in their preferred language. However, we certainly can adopt the internal rule in force in the other committees on which I've served. The clerk would not be authorized to distribute to committee members a document that is not in both official languages. That should be a minimum requirement.
Therefore, I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Guimond and I hope the committee adopts this internal procedural rule.
Thank you.