No, it's normal. I think that you have trouble with a lot of people, Mr. Coderre.
Personally, I want to avoid a meet-up with a lynch mob for Mr. Khan, who is a turncoat. That is my first objection.
Secondly, who is Wajid Khan? Is it because he changed camps and is a special advisor to the Prime Minister that we have to make a big fuss? We already have a great deal of work. We have just come to an agreement on the work we have to do. I don't see the point of convening someone and thus increasing our workload.
Moreover, if the Prime Minister decides tomorrow morning that he wants three other special advisors, for himself, for NATO or for something else, that is his business. Whenever the Prime Minister decides to appoint a special advisor, are we going to try to bring this person before the committee to put his feet to the fire and ask him to give us his reports?
Personally, I think that the Standing Committee on National Defence has a heavy workload and we already have a role to play. I don' t like having my role changed by some sudden or random event. Because someone has just been appointed, we are expected to put all of our work aside in order to examine this new person or this new situation.
If something very important and very urgent comes up, if the Prime Minister decides to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, then we can invite the Prime Minister or one of his representatives to ask him what is going on. I don't agree that from one day to the next, because the Prime Minister decides to appoint a special assistant, we put our work aside to convene this person. Not only would I like my colleagues to convince me that we aren't getting ready for a public lynching, but I consider that our workload is already sufficiently demanding at the Standing Committee on National Defence. I don't see the point in convening Mr. Khan at this time.