Thank you, Madam Chair. My questions for my colleague Mr. Chong will go through you, of course.
I'd like to start by thanking my colleague. He and I have been here a long time. If you add the years together, I think it works out to something like 36 years of service in this place. I have known him a long time. I want to commend him for the grace with which he has comported himself since finding out this information. I wish him and his family the best going forward, regardless of what comes out of these meetings.
Mr. Chong, you're no doubt aware that this committee has been seized with undertaking a study on foreign interference as it pertains to elections. In this case, we've seen numerous pieces of information put into the public realm through non-normal channels, information that we would normally expect to see through transparency and sunlight. I have my own thoughts about whether it's a breakdown in the machinery of government or whether it's a political vacuum in leadership. However, we've asked numerous times in this committee for the production of documents through various motions. Some of the motions have passed. Some of the motions were amended to remove the request for production of documents. There is a motion before this committee right now that will request documents.
My question for you, given the fact that the information will be largely about you, for an example, is this: Do you think it's completely reasonable, in a request for production of documents, that this committee should adopt that production of documents? Is it also reasonable that both unredacted and redacted copies be sent to the parliamentary law clerk so that the law clerk can then discern, and compare and contrast, between the redacted documents—which we have seen some of, and which aren't particularly helpful—and the unredacted documents? It would be at the discretion of the law clerk to make that information available to this committee so that in looking at this question of privilege on your behalf, we may come up with the proper findings and the best recommendations.