We're now about half an hour past when I had hoped we might come to a vote on the amendment.
I wanted to mark the occasion by drawing members' attention to the House of Commons Procedure and Practice in respect of amendments at committee. I'll note that only one amendment can be considered by committee at one time.
In other words, if there is going to be some other kind of solution and if Mr. Turnbull's amendment is not the way forward.... I think after some 30 or 40 hours, it's fair to conclude in an evidence-based way that his proposal is not the way forward. In order for there to be any point or purpose to opposition members of the committee convening a meeting between now and the committee's next meeting to talk about what another proposal might be, we would have to clear the air on this one.
If we're going to continue to waste time speaking to an amendment that's dead in the water and we can't have a vote at least to decide that, then I don't see any point in my colleagues on the opposition and me taking time to work towards a solution to bring on Thursday, while Liberals reserve the right to bullheadedly insist on a failed proposal.
Either we're working on something new or this moment at the committee where we might move forward is over. If we continue talking about this amendment without a vote for the next half-hour, an hour or two hours, I'm telling you, the moment is over.
If the Liberals want a five-minute suspension so they can get it together and talk about whether they're serious about having this committee move on to more important business, so be it. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that somehow this is a constructive committee working towards a solution when I have people yammering in my ear about a failed proposal. We're either trying to move on or we aren't.
What is it going to be, and how are we going to decide that?