Yes, I do. I'm just going to read the motion. The chair made a decision to schedule six other meetings to hear about 35 witnesses. We've already heard from 34 individuals. I have a concern that we put forward a plan to make it clear that we are managing the time, that we provide adequate time for witnesses but we not allow this to be delayed and to be stalled. We also have to make sure there is time for technical or expert witnesses to appear, as well as the clause-by-clause.
Mr. Chair, I move that in relation to Bill C-257 this committee direct the clerk to ensure that the hours of the currently scheduled committee meetings are extended as necessary so that a technical briefing be held no later than February 1 and that all currently scheduled witnesses be heard by no later than February 7 and that a clause-by-clause reading of this bill be completed on February 8.
The intent of the motion is simply to manage our time. It provides for all currently scheduled witnesses to be heard. I think the implication of this is that for possibly two meetings we might need to extend the hours so we can hear a few more witnesses during that time slot.
I've noticed that at some of the meetings anywhere from three to five witnesses have been scheduled at a time. In many other committees a greater number of witnesses would be heard. We know the finance committee has scheduled about 16 witnesses in a two-hour period, so I feel what we're proposing is very reasonable to ensure that we can get to the technical briefing we need prior to finishing with the witnesses, just in case issues arise out of that. Then clause-by-clause would be completed by February 8, and if we need to go later into the evening on that day that would not be a problem.
So I'd like to move that motion.