So this is your new amendment.
Mr. Chair, I think that we are underestimating the sincerity of the people who are going to come and testify. There is not any political wangling going on. Certain individuals and one think tank have issued some opinions. From the beginning, military lobbyists plugged into the government have been allowed to come and make their sales pitch and say exactly the same thing. These are people to whom you yourselves gave a briefing. Let us call a spade a spade.
It must not be assumed that people are insincere. I said that it would be interesting to hear the EADS group, since people have said that the Advance Contract Award Notice applied, that there was just one company that could deliver the goods and that it was the one wanted.
Having another point of view would show Canadians how it might have worked if there had been a sales pitch. Once again, I say that Colonel Drapeau appeared for you. Unless you present us with a Liberal from your list. It is assuming the worst if we say that we are going to increase the number of... You are the ones who wanted to stretch things out, not us. I do not think that any assumptions should be made about this meeting.
If you want to hold a three-hour meeting, that is fine with me. But do not make the assumption that these people are partial. These are professionals and free thinkers and they are not card-carrying members of any political party whatsoever. One of them perhaps used to have one, but it was not ours. That is your problem. If you no longer agree with him, you can have a coffee with him or something stronger. That is your problem.
I think that people testify in complete objectivity. There will be some recommendations. We are entirely in order. The next stage, after the Afghanistan report, on which we worked so hard, will be to finalize the procurement of military equipment.
Mr. Chair, if we are told we can invite other witnesses, I do not think that we should assume that. These four people are enough. If we want to invite others, we can present another motion. I do not know whether our colleague, Ms. Black, will suggest other persons. She said that we could have another meeting. Everyone has agreed to invite people who do not necessarily represent the point of view of the opposition, but who will help complete our work on the recommendations.
Mr. Chair, we are ready to vote on the amendment. If we realize that it is just to stretch things out longer and that people are thinking, on the government side, that it is absolutely necessary for them to have their friends too, we will vote against it. I think that we are ready to vote.