Mr. Chairman, I would like to start by congratulating you. I sincerely want to tell you — and don't worry, I'm not trying to butter you up before attacking you — that the way in which you are fulfilling your duties as chair is excellent.
I would like to make a comment that will certainly not sit well with my Liberal colleagues. I have been on this committee since the year 2000 and there is no comparison between the way Derek Lee managed or presided this committee and your own. I congratulate you.
However, we want the rules to be fair.
It is perhaps your enthusiasm and your desire to get this through that led you to set the time of the meeting unilaterally. We assume that you acted in good faith. I do not believe that you are acting in bad faith, but we need to consult each other about our availability. I am meeting with my colleague, the government whip, and the other whips, and Mr. Hill is supposed to check whether we are available at the proposed time. If we are not, we try to set something else up.
The time of the meeting is in conflict with other commitments that I have made. I can always get a replacement, but I try to attend as many meetings as possible. You should be checking whether or not we are available.
I would like to emphasize one thing. I hope that no one on the government side thinks that my comments are some sort of obstruction tactics. On the contrary, we want to see legislative changes. Last week, I asked Mr. Hill a question, and he told me that there is a will to achieve concrete legislative changes before the next election. So I certainly do not want to obstruct the committee's work. However, please check our availability.
I would like to end with a brief comment. The clerk will be able to tell you that there are 22 committee rooms on Parliament Hill. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs does not have to meet in Room 112-N of the Centre Block. In the past, we have met in Room 701 of the La Promenade Building and in the West Block. There is no requirement for us to meet here. It is true that it is more convenient for the whips.
So I would ask you to check whether or not we are available and to not make unilateral decisions about the time of meetings.