Thank you very much, Chair.
I believe this motion in its current form would push us even further in the wrong direction from what we're trying to achieve. I'd like to be very clear that I don't believe this is even an argument about transparency or an argument in regard to accountability. I think this might be an argument for both, properly, and for doing both responsibly and in a way that actually serves Canadians.
The Canadians we're here to represent do not benefit from motions that cannot be implemented. There's no implementation here. It's a fact-and-find search mission for something that's already been transparent and been given a pathway where people are able to come in and find out what's going on with this new software. In this way, Canadians are not benefiting from any service delivery. We don't benefit, especially as a committee, with this type of stalled legislation. What would people benefit by in this committee if we were not focused, effective and grounded in the reality or scope of what this motion represents?
We're HUMA. We're the human committee, a committee that respects its witnesses when they're called. I believe we are a committee that respects public resources wisely, a committee that advances legislative mandates. I believe we are a committee that conducts oversight in a way that's targeted, proportionate and also meaningful. This is the standard we should all be aiming for. It's the standard that Canadians expect. This motion, as written, does not meet that standard.
It is for all these reasons—the cost, the unrealistic timeline, the strain on the public service capacity, the precedent that something like this sets, the transparency that's already been provided and the direction disruption to our work on Bill C-20—that I cannot support this motion in its current form. More importantly, I would urge colleagues to reflect on what we want from this committee. Do we want a committee that is consumed by motions of this scale, at the expense of legislative work, or do we want a committee that is focused, disciplined and effective in delivering for Canadians? I believe that's the choice before us right now.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.