Mr. Chairman, I can appreciate that my colleague Joe Preston has raised a serious, relatively urgent matter, given that three by-elections are scheduled for next Monday, September 17. Therefore, before this meeting concludes, it's vitally important that the committee rule on this motion.
Ms. Redman was saying that we could spend the last 10 or 15 minutes studying this motion. I think it's possible for us to discuss the motion on the table in 10 or 15 minutes. We have been called here today to debate the motion now on the table, but now, another urgent motion that we need to look is before us.
In case some of my colleagues from one party might be tempted to use obstructive tactics or to muddy the issue in the hopes of delaying the adoption of this motion, I would just like to say to them that their party would have to assume responsibility for their actions. I'm not making any accusations. I'm simply speaking in general terms. It is best that you be forewarned. If we act in good faith and adopt the motion on the table, we will be in a position to ask each party to table a list of witnesses in less than 24 hours' time. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs could then meet as early as Wednesday to begin its consideration of this motion.
However, it's important that we then proceed to rule on Elections Canada's decision. Again, I appeal to your good faith. If one party wants to duck the issue, then it can resort to using systematic obstructive tactics until 5:30 p.m. Then, we will have to listen to a lot of crap. We will have wasted out time by coming here at taxpayers' expense and we won't have time to consider the issue of veiled voters, a matter that we the members of the Bloc Québécois deem to be of an urgent, priority nature. Even if you present us with copies of the Gomery Report, going all the way back to Methuselah, the fact remain that we have a motion that needs to be debated. We expect to debate it. I'm not pointing a finger at anyone in particular, but if the shoe fits...