First of all, thanks to all the witnesses for being here today. That includes the witnesses who were here in the first round.
I don't know how to.... This is a crazy situation. As I sit here listening to this, I find many of these different stories to be emotionally compelling in terms of how this has happened. But I'm a pretty rational person, so whenever I hear a compelling story on one side, I always think there must be some reason on the other side, there must be some reason this hasn't been dealt with. I haven't heard that reason yet. Cost containment, I think, is often used in terms of extending rights or privileges--the notion that somehow, by doing something, it would cost a lot of money.
Ms. Vermeersch, I think that was the comment you heard.
Coming from me, this might sound like an odd question, but as I cast around, looking for some reason why this hasn't been dealt with.... And it's not a partisan issue. This problem has been around for a while. Governments have come and gone. Gosh, since I've been here--a period of less than three years--there have been about five ministers of citizenship and immigration from different parties, and yet no one has dealt with it.
I'd like to ask you, particularly those of you who've been more professionally or more broadly involved with the issue--Professor Francis, or Don, or others--what you actually see as the reason why this hasn't been dealt with to this point.