Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's good to see everybody here. Happy new year from me.
I just have to point out the hypocrisy that Mr. Long is trying to get across with his amendment here. He's saying “no disrespect to the minister”, but we don't want him here because he doesn't know the technical details of his file. Ultimately, he is saying he's not in charge of his file and he doesn't get what's going on in his ministry, so let's bring the officials instead.
That said, I support Madame Chabot's motion, which I believe is very well thought out and proposed because it includes any other officials as well as the minister. In the committees that I have been a part of, generally the minister shows up and brings one or two officials. When there are questions that are just so technical in nature, as Mr. Long points out, the minister defers to the officials who are sitting right there.
I would respectfully disagree with my colleague, Mr. Long, that it is only the officials who can answer these questions. The ministers are responsible for their files. They are the ones who should be held accountable, and that's what our committee is for.
I go back to Madame Chabot's original motion and will be supporting it.