Madam Chair, I have certainly come to the conclusion in my short time on this committee that there's one thing the Conservative Party members are interested in, and that is partisan points: embarrassing the government. Like in question period, facts often are distorted and are massaged so that they are not facts any more. They are alternate facts, to quote someone from the Trump era.
We are obligated to protect the nation. We're obligated to protect the privileges of our members. That's what we're trying to get to with this privilege motion and study, and we're not getting there, because we're always on a sideshow that Mr. Cooper is creating by keeping on with introducing motions, extending the period through which we're not getting at the report, getting to action and getting to recommendations that will protect our members, protect democracy and protect our sovereignty.
The amendment that Mrs. Romanado has introduced is that:
the Departments and Agencies tasked with gathering these documents apply redactions according to the Access to Information and Privacy Act,
These are the laws of the land. This is legislation that we all abide by. We have no choice. It is legislation that has been passed by the House of Commons. If Mr. Cooper would like to amend or replace those pieces of legislation, they can bring forward opposition motions in the House. They can do a number of things to amend those pieces of legislation.
I did read from the record of testimony during the course of this study. Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—I was not privy to all the witnesses, but I have read their testimony. I think I ended off with Mike MacDonald, senior assistant deputy minister, office of the chief information officer; David Morrison, deputy minister, foreign affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; Dan Stanton, former executive manager, Canadian Security Intelligence Service; Rob Stewart, deputy minister, international trade, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; and, importantly, Jody Thomas, national security and intelligence adviser, Privy Council Office.
All of these public servants, who have served Conservative and Liberal administrations, told the truth on the stand. They are required to.
I recall reading their testimony and hearing a few of them personally, some of them who were back for the second time. They acknowledge that foreign interference is a major issue facing our country, and that is why we are having a foreign interference inquiry led by an independent judge. It will be non-partisan. It will get to the bottom of things, but we are dealing with the motion of privilege today, and I would again go back to some previous comments. I'm concerned about the privileges of all members, including Mr. Chong, including Ms. Kwan and including all of us around the table and in the House.
I would like to get to the report and would respectfully request that the honourable member from Alberta stop putting motions on the floor that drag this thing out so that we can get to recommendations and we can get to actions and we can deal with the issue of privilege, which is really the focus of our efforts today and over the last 17 or 18 meetings.
I am concerned with the tenor of some of Mr. Cooper's comments about national security and his lack of trust with pieces of legislation, such as the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
Again, I would put to him that if he's so concerned about those pieces of legislation, which are on the books and which guide us in our actions, then he should be introducing motions in the House. His party should be introducing opposition motions that work to correct those pieces of legislation if he believes there are flaws.
Thank you, Madam Chair.