Thank you, Chair.
Thank you for your presentation, Mr. Topp.
I would like to have a little bit more information or description when you say it requires finding a simple way to state clearly that when there's a confidence vote that is properly before the House, the crown may not interfere in any way with the vote.
First, do you already have some idea of the wording of such a rule?
Secondly, if such a rule were created through the Standing Orders, that would require an actual definition of a confidence vote. So I would there again ask if you have specific wording, and if so, if you can make it available either today or in the near future to the committee through the chair and our clerk.
Finally, when you say not to worry about the enforceability of any such rule either through the standing order or legislation or both, is that because you believe that should a standing order be adopted and then subsequently legislation—or not, in terms of legislation—by virtue of having that, the Governor General would automatically respect the standing order? If that's the case, are you of the mind of some of our previous witnesses that given the fact that the Speaker, under our Constitution, has access to the Governor General, the Speaker could be charged by the House to inform the Governor General of the rule, of the definition of, say, a confidence vote, etc.?
Thank you.