Obviously, change happens and all of that sort of stuff, but here the government is proposing changes to the rules of this committee. They're not talking about national defence or some substantive matter that we're dealing with. The government is proposing changes to the rules and we are asking that we see copies of those changes in both official languages. All the members on the committee are new except for Ms. Gallant and me, and I just don't think it's right that we be asked to deal with this without seeing those changes.
The purpose of this reduced quorum is to allow evidence to be heard so that people can't manipulate the committee by walking out of the room and various other things like that. Let's not just assume that these are minor changes that occur, that these are just inconsequential and we don't need to see copies or we don't need to think about them. This is being done by consensus. If you're going to insist on roaring through all this, then that consensus will not be offered by our side--or at least not by me--in terms of proceeding in this manner. We agreed to do this in a collegial way.
It's only the motions that people are prepared to have consensus on that can be dealt with. Other committees have met and have not dealt with every issue because there wasn't sufficient opportunity to consider it or have copies of it, so I don't think it's untoward to suggest.... We're meeting again on Thursday anyway, I presume, as it's part of the schedule. If people aren't prepared to do that, then I'm going to withdraw my consent to proceeding, but I think we can proceed with things like distribution of documents, working meals, witness expenses, etc. These are uncontroversial things here, unless there are suggested significant changes. Let's get the ones that we agree upon.
For the ones that might require further discussion or a proposal.... I can see something coming here on allocation of time for witnesses. I have no doubt that there's a new proposal on this, and so there should be, but let's see what the proposal is so that we can either agree on it or perhaps negotiate a change or suggest changes. For the ones that require that consideration, let's do them on Thursday.