Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I want to apologize to Ms. Nott and Mr. Spreekmeester. I'll be diverting our attention and, hopefully, I'll have time to get back and ask them a couple of questions.
Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned earlier, I would like to move a motion for which notice has been given by my colleague Madam Sgro. I'll read it, then I'd like to say why I'm moving it now.
The motion has been distributed to folks. Here it is:That, given that co-operatives greatly empower each member, that they follow a model resulting in a combination of business success and social responsibility, and play an important role in the economy and in our communities, and to follow on logically from the Special Committee on Co-operatives and the fact that the government has completed the transfer of the responsibility for co-operatives to Industry Canada following a recommendation of the Special Committee, the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology establish a Subcommittee on Co-operatives; and that the members of the subcommittee be named after the usual consultations with the Whips; and that the committee consist of seven members which shall include four members from the government party, two members from the Official Opposition and one member from the Liberal Party, provided that the Chair is from the government party; that in addition to the Chair, there be one Vice-Chair from each of the opposition parties; that the subcommittee be granted all of the powers of the Committee pursuant to Standing Order 108(1) except the power to report directly to the House.
The reason I am moving it now is that, unfortunately, I suspect that we may end up having to deal with this in camera. I would hope not, but in case we do I want to say publicly that I will be moving this motion now.
Mr. Chairman, in the spirit of cooperation, I am quite prepared to finish the rounds and deal with this afterwards, if that's your wish. I do believe in cooperation and working that way. I always have. That will be up to you.
When I moved the motion initially in the House to create a special committee, the government was opposed. I had a couple of ministers and a parliamentary secretary approach me and ask that we not do that. But to everyone's surprise, the motion was adopted unanimously and the committee did good work. I have said, and I'll repeat, that the government reacted well to many of the recommendations that were made.
The responsibility is here now, and there are a number of issues that flow from that transfer. I mentioned a few of them, and I'll do so again. For instance, there is a the Business Development Bank. Its mandate had to be reviewed two and a half years ago; it hasn't been and should be, because they would love to be able to do more in terms—