Thank you very much. I'm delighted to be contributing to the committee's work.
My approach will be rather different from that of the other two witnesses. I'll be coming at the topic from a different standpoint: constitutional law, institutional mechanisms and the issues raised.
I'll start by highlighting aspects of constitutional law related to the exercise of the prerogative to prorogue Parliament. Then, I will suggest a solution or mechanism to prevent the problems being discussed today, problems that could arise in the future as well.
As mentioned, the prerogative to prorogue Parliament lies with the executive branch. The prime minister advises the governor general to prorogue Parliament. As long as the prime minister has the confidence of Parliament, the governor general is bound by that advice.
It was said that, until recently, the request for prorogation had not been problematic. The granting of the request had been virtually automatic. We had an instance where—