On a point of order, Mr. Chair, I believe O'Brien and Bosc is quite clear on page 1058, in chapter 20, talking about the need for witnesses who are employees of the department to be careful in how they're asked questions and how they respond to questions. Often committees usually excuse witnesses from making comments as it entails their personal relationship or the relationship between the department and their ministers.
I think that the line of questioning by Mr. Regan is out of order and we need at least to provide the witnesses a chance to recuse themselves from actually replying to any comments that may jeopardize or compromise their relationship with the minister.