Yes, it's just a matter of getting notice to people to come. If we can get this passed, then I'm going to tell you about your deadlines for suggesting witnesses for the meeting. One of the problems of doing it the way we're doing it is that we have a hard time understanding how many hours we need to meet until we know what the witness body looks like: who's requesting witnesses, who isn't requesting, who can come. We also have to schedule two ministers for two different meetings.
Mr. Tilson, you've been chair of a committee. You know that scheduling ministers is tough.
I want to get the two ministers in and to save time for the minister to come for the main estimates at some point. We're trying to get this done. I think we can schedule it, but I wanted to give you warning. I'm hearing two messages. One is that you have other things to do. The committee has told me that. That's one of the reasons we can't have an infinite number of meetings: you do have other responsibilities. Yet you're telling me it's an important bill. So we're trying to find a way to balance those realities.
I see no more hands up or no one on the list, so I think we're now going to address the question of the amendment to Ms. Kwan's motion, Mr. Whalen's amendment.
(Amendment agreed to)
(Motion as amended agreed to)
The amended motion is almost exactly the same.
With respect to witnesses—you're not going to like this—if we're going to get this work done I need proposed witnesses for both divisions by Wednesday at noon. The consultants one may need fewer than the other. I don't have a number. Put in your best numbers.
Once I get your numbers, if I don't have enough witnesses I'll go back to you. If we have too many, I may need to come back to you to say we need more meetings. It's a little bit of an art, not a science. I suspect, as we know, there are the usual suspects on both these bills. People have written letters to the minister, public letters. Those people are going to want to speak. There will be other people whom you know about who you think should speak. I think the most important thing is for you to do your deliberation on the bill and make sure we have enough information. Some of that can be written as well as verbal.
I have Nick and then Michelle.