Madam Chair, in a public meeting, it is common practice that non-members, even members who haven't been formally substituted in, can participate in the meeting if the committee is fine with allowing the member to intervene and have an opportunity to speak. It is different in an in camera meeting, where the committee's approval is required to allow a non-member to sit in on an in camera meeting. On that point, on the issue of non-members, that was the point.
I know there was also a member asking about the substitutions. Just for the committee's information, I currently have a substitution for Mr. Gerretsen, who isn't here, and that is Mr. Drouin, who is formally subbed in for him.
Ms. Normandin is also replacing Mr. Therrien.
There are other members obviously present who are non-members, and they are not formally subbed in. They are participating here in the public meeting or sitting in listening to the committee proceedings.