Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thanks to the witnesses. Welcome to the great Liberal darkness club. This makes me feel like a dog chasing its tail. I use that metaphor because I just saw Ms. McPherson's dog on the screen.
We are all here to discuss a bill that, as Mr. Champagne announced to us three weeks ago, would be subject to eight amendments, some of which will be major.
Mr. Balsillie, earlier you said that Mr. Bains consulted you at the time about Bill C-11 and that you had made recommendations. The current minister, Mr. Champagne, tells us he has consulted 300 organizations and experts.
Ms. Vipond, you clearly weren't in the group. At any rate, many of the witnesses here probably weren't in the consulting group, since they're asking us today to hold more consultations and that they be permanent and ongoing depending on how the bill evolves.
Mr. Balsillie, almost all the comments you've made on this bill thus far have been negative. Can you see anything anywhere in this bill that might be positive, or do you think we should simply toss it out and start over?
Based on what we have before us today, I think we've confused “privacy” with “artificial intelligence”. These are two completely different things, but we're putting everything in the same basket.
We would've liked to hear what you had to say about artificial intelligence. I'm convinced you would have liked to talk to us about that at greater length as well. So allow me to give you the floor.