Thank you, Chair.
Thank you for your comments, Mr. Fortin.
Although I don't agree with the premise, I would appreciate it if you would come to our committee a lot more and shed light on the important issues we discuss. I really would love to have this kind of attention in our committee to the very important issues we have studied, such as human trafficking, our latest study, and recommendations on dealing with this very important and tragic issue our country, and ensuring that Canadians, middle-class families, have access to justice.
That comes to the crux of the issue: what does an in camera meeting really do for a committee? It takes away the partisanship. It takes away the political posturing, which we have been privy to today. It allows us to have frank discussions to see who can come forward to have the most fruitful discussions on issues.
Canadians have a right to know and to seek clarification through our committee. I think our committee owes it to Canadians not to be so partisan, not to be here looking for sound bites to embarrass persons, our Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's Office. We need to put that partisanship aside.
We need to come to the table, hopefully with the permanent members of the committee, to discuss at length who will really speak to the issues before us today, to have the most fruitful discussions. Canadians voted for us to represent them, to speak for them. I hope we can give them what they have voted for, which is impartial, honest representation of their needs, their demands and their wants through this impartial committee. I hope that members across the way can really support that.
I don't think we should be changing the way we conduct ourselves just because the cameras are on. We need to have that impartial discussion. My fear is that if the cameras are on, my colleagues across the way will not be able to shut off their partisanship. That's why I don't support the amendments proposed by Mr. Cullen.
Thanks, Chair.