It can be reviewed at any time. This committee can choose its own business. You can review it the day after, if you like. The committee can do whatever it wants. But as my deputy points out, this is the third time we've taken a run at this legislation and updating PIPEDA, so there is some urgency.
I was in opposition for two terms and I understand the nature of chastising governments for reasons real and imagined. That's fine, but one of the reasons we took the approach, why it is Bill S-4, and why we tabled it in the Senate first, is that this committee had a very full agenda. Parliament itself had a very full agenda, with a number of high-profile and complex pieces of legislation through the fall session of Parliament, and we wanted to get going on this. We wanted to get forward traction.
Of course, our legislative process requires it to have the support and consent of both houses of our bicameral legislature. We wanted to get it passed and moving forward, keeping in mind that we do have a campaign coming up this fall and House time is precious and limited. We reversed the process for that reason: because we do want this legislation to get passed and we do want it to go forward.
We see it as essential for a number of reasons, including taking full advantage of the digital economy and protecting Canadians online. There is I think a growing anxiety and an expectation amongst Canadians that the government do all it can in order to protect the privacy of Canadians online, not only in terms of the Privacy Act and citizen engagement with the Government of Canada in ensuring that their privacy is protected when they provide their information to the government, but also when they are doing so in the private sector.
It has now passed the Senate after consideration and deliberation, and there are a number of amendments that were debated at committee. This committee of course can fill its schedule and consider this legislation as it wishes, but it certainly is my desire that the bill move forward and be adopted so that we can protect Canadians and give Canadians the confidence they deserve.