Thank you.
I think it really does need to be put on the record: What is being proposed here is nothing like what was discussed from the beginning regarding how this committee would operate. I have been on committees for 18 years, from agriculture to almost every other committee. It was based on us coming together with witnesses, going through the witnesses, and trying to figure out what was fair and reasonable, because certain MPs in certain regions represent a bigger share in a particular area or study. If this were allocated so that the Conservatives get 80% of what the Liberals get...it works out great for the two old-fashioned parties. On this file, you guys are probably doing pretty well together.
I brought this motion forward because I really thought we were working—as you said, Mr. Chair—collegially. We were going to work together, put in a work plan, and have a subcommittee. We did all that. We put in all our witnesses and then, suddenly, when there were problems with witnesses, all the conversations stopped. I have to say that, if we're going to base it on proportionality, I am very much seeing a heavy weight on people who are very pro-industry as it is, and status quo, which is fine for them, but if we're going to look at a just transition, we need these other voices.
To change the rules of the game at this point is, to me, bad faith. This is not what was ever said. I am not overreacting. I will fight for my right, as a parliamentarian, to participate properly in hearings, to bring forward witness lists, and to expect those witness lists to be treated seriously. If there is a problem with witnesses, it will be brought back to us at subcommittee, because we have representation from each party and we can work it out.
That was the way we agreed we were going to work. Now, suddenly, the Liberals and Conservatives are saying, “Actually, we really like that we can control the witnesses and our voices are heard more. We didn't even get to the 12 meetings, the eight meetings or the 10 meetings. We can move on.” I question why we would even go further if this is how it's going to be on just transition. I would like to think we can get this done. I would like to think we can have proper witnesses, but I am really concerned that I'm now dealing with bad faith, and I have lost a lot of trust.
I have enormous respect for you, Mr. Chair. I'm not trying to be mean to you, but this is about fundamental principles for how we operate. When you change rules like that and say it's based on proportionality of seats, and then say, “But it wasn't quite”, and somewhere the Liberals.... Then I see it is based on proportionality of seats, because our witnesses have been bumped. These are key witnesses. These are not New Democrat voices. These are indigenous, labour and climate change voices that need to be heard. These are all people engaged in just transition and they've just been bumped. Now we're told, “Well, this is the way we do it here.”
That is not the way it's been done. This is a decision made and I have to protest it. I will continue to protest it, if this is how we're going to operate in future.