Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to state at the outset that I disagree completely with your interpretation of events last Thursday. Very clearly, Mr. Laxer was on topic and actually presenting important information for this committee. There is absolutely no doubt that he was speaking directly to the energy provisions of the security and prosperity partnership. However, it is also clear that you did not agree with what he was saying, and that is essentially the difficulty we had last Thursday. He was stating in very unequivocal terms how bad the SPP agenda would be for those Canadians who are concerned about energy sovereignty.
There was absolutely no doubt he was on topic, absolutely no doubt that what he was saying was not something that was agreed to by Conservative Party representatives around the table, but he had certainly the right to speak, and this committee very clearly indicated that it wanted him to speak. So I deplore the fact that you shut down that committee hearing because you disagreed with an Albertan who was testifying on behalf of many Albertans who may disagree with Conservative Party policy.
That being said, we have two important items of business that have not been brought before this committee, which we have been trying to bring before the committee for a number of weeks: one is the motion by the Bloc on water, and the other is the motion by Mr. Bains on the issue of committee procedure and having in place an agenda subcommittee of this committee.
So I would move now that we consider Monsieur Cardin's water motion.