Mr. Chair, I'll start over. I sympathize with the frustration my colleagues and their leader are feeling. Public servants are being asked to redirect their efforts and stop processing the backlog of files for seniors in Quebec, Atlantic Canada, Ontario, western Canada and the territories. Do you really expect them to stop doing the work on seniors' files that would give those people access to what they're entitled to, and to start gathering millions of pages of documents, which the opposition parties might chuck into a drawer without a glance? Why would anyone want that?
The opposition parties are obviously playing political games.
Witnesses were sitting in the corner, waiting for a chance to speak. Some took a day off work or gave up a day with their family. They drove for hours or took a four- or five-hour flight to get here. Does anyone think it's okay for witnesses to come to Ottawa, only to be told to leave and go home? If we aren't careful, one of these days, witnesses will decline invitations to appear before the committee. What would be the reason for that? The reason would be dilatory motions, motions that do absolutely nothing to meet the needs of seniors.
Is someone talking at the same time as me?
I understand my colleague's frustration.