Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I've been here twice now and have listened intently, as well as participating a bit at the last session, in trying to move this file forward. I like what Ms. Kwan is stating here on trying to do just that: to try to move these yardsticks down the field, so to speak.
I gave a lot of thought to this two- to three-week filibuster when I left the last time, and I thought, why? There's a way that we can present ourselves here with respect to the direction we want to take and the objectives we want to accomplish, by attaching to all of that some actions to move it forward, and hopefully execute a plan that we all can work on. When we look at moving forward, I ask myself, why are we not having a vigorous debate on this issue, as Ms. Kwan called for? Why aren't we calling in witnesses to listen to all sides of what other people think, besides members who sit in the House on a daily basis? Why are we not coming forward, all of us, with recommendations to form a report that we can all digest, debate, amend, etc., and then, of course, agree or disagree on? At that time, weeks or months down the road, there will be an opportunity for those who disagree to react, as they may be reacting now. But let's get something on the table first before we get into the process we're involved in now, which, quite frankly, is a total waste of time.
I just want to make one clarification, based on a similar process that we're involved in here. The President of the Treasury Board, Mr. Brison, put forward the very recommendations that Ms. Kwan talked about earlier with respect to new budgetary procedures and looking at the estimates a bit more rigorously and diligently, as 338 members of the House versus fewer than that. That proposal, in itself, was filibustered by the opposition.
Let's not make any mistake about this whole process: at the end of the day, we're trying to move this file forward; we're trying to move these yardsticks down the field with all members. The frustrating part is that we can't come to a point of making recommendations based on what we hear from witnesses and from others around the table, and, of course, then move forward with that debate and the possible reaction to recommendations that might come forward.
Without being repetitive, Mr. Chairman, it is unfortunate. I think we're wasting a lot of people's time here when, quite frankly, the cart is way before the horse. Let's react to something. Right now we're not reacting to anything really. Let's come forward with witnesses. Let's come forward with recommendations based on debate and, of course, from there let the cards fall where they may, which may in fact be where we are now. But let's get to that point first, before we start reacting to something that we're just making an assumption on. Quite frankly, we all know what the true definition of “assume” is.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.