We are resuming our meeting.
Just prior to our suspending, Monsieur Laforest had the floor on a question of privilege. I might say that we've heard very much of it.
I think we get the gist of it, Monsieur Laforest. I'm prepared to allow you to speak as long as you want, but as it's becoming a bit redundant and you're just getting into additional precedents, I really wonder whether or not there's any validity to it. I'm prepared to rule on the question of privilege at any time.
Just to keep the committee up to date, we have passed two motions at this point. The motion that we're dealing with now is the committee stage of Bill C-2. We are on clause 2. Before we hear further points of order or questions. I just wanted to let the committee know that this is where we are on the matter.
Pursuant to the motion that we passed earlier in the day at 4:01, limiting the debate to six hours, we will conclude the debate at 10:01, at which time we will move to votes on the amendments as submitted, one at a time. Those amendments and the votes on the clauses are not debatable pursuant to the motion passed by the committee.
With that, I think we're ready to continue. We will hear the end of the most recent question of privilege and, at some point, hopefully we can return to the business of the committee.
I might say that if we find that the points of order and/or questions of privilege have been heard or are redundant, or if it appears that the points in question are simply irreconcilable, I think that in the interests of the committee and the members of the committee, and the privileges of other members, we'll have to rule that we move on.
It doesn't seem that there is any middle ground being suggested here. On this committee, we have heard more witnesses than on any other matter put before the House or a committee, and I think most of the committee members have determined their views on the matter. I haven't noticed from any of the interjections made so far that there's any change in that sense, so in the interests of the committee and those officials who we have gathered here to answer questions, and of getting on with it, we will get on with it at some point....
But we certainly wouldn't want to impose on the privileges of any member to speak, so if you want to take the time of committee with your personal views at some point you're at liberty to do that. But when we've heard them all, or they become redundant, or it's simply a matter of irreconcilable matters, we will rule that way and carry on with the meeting.
I would also like to say that at this point I'm going to pass the chair to Mr. Miller. Mr. Cannis, our vice-chair, is not here yet, so until he gets here I'm going to ask for the--