I'm also opposed, Mr. Chair, for the reasons my colleague Mr. Bachand mentioned, but also because parliamentary committees are meant to be the creatures of Parliament, of the House of Commons. They're not meant to be an avenue for government to have the kind of influence it has in other bodies of Parliament. So in our committees you, as the chairperson--and not the parliamentary secretary--are meant to be the conduit to your government. Every commission that's been held on parliamentary reform, every commission that has been held in consultation with parliamentary experts and Canadians at large has in fact recommended against parliamentary secretaries even sitting on committees.
I think we have already offered an olive branch by virtue of the fact that parliamentary secretaries sit on committees, but I think the subcommittee on procedure and House affairs should be as it was the last time, with a representative of each party.
And just to correct what Mr. Hawn said, there are not four opposition parties here, there are three.