I'm ready to speak. Thank you, Madam Chair.
If all members will recall, for at least two weeks, whenever the issue of Bill C-270 has come up, along with the issue of the availability of the sponsor, I have always confirmed the availability of a number of witnesses, and I may have even provided a list of, potentially, up to eight or nine witnesses.
The push-back I seem to recall receiving on each and every occasion was, “Well, that's fine,” but there was never any expression of any interest from the chair or the clerk to ask for that list with a view to scheduling and inviting those witnesses to attend. It was always my belief—and I think precedent certainly confirms this—that a study does not, each and every time, have to commence with the sponsor of the bill. If there are witnesses ready and able to offer insight on this particular topic, on which we have subject matter experts—