I don't make this a habit, Mr. Chairman.
You said that Mr. Lemieux was right, and that the committee must first approve the schedule proposal and that Mr. Corbeil, with all due respect to him, is not necessarily a witness we should be hearing from, because his appearance is in fact unauthorized. That's what Mr. Lemieux said, and you told him he was right. It is my opinion that we should discuss the proposed schedule, and that would include Mr. Lord's appearance.
I absolutely must have an answer to my question. The clerk told me this, Mr. Chairman. Out of courtesy and politeness, this information should be shared with everyone. He said to me—and I'm sorry to put you in a delicate situation; it's certainly not my intention to do so—that Mr. Lord declined our invitation, and not that he simply did not give a date when he would be available. He declined. And if that's true, the committee should, in my opinion, act. Did he decline the invitation, or didn't he?