I read the agenda and I thought the time had come to make comments. I don't want to get ahead of the agenda, but I thought we were at other business.
That morning, when the minister appeared, we were in a room where broadcasting was available. Parliament has always wanted committee meetings to be as transparent as possible. I'm not blaming anyone, but if we don't set out clear rules now, we will be lost in that shuffle.
For example, being in a room with cameras and not televising the meeting was totally unacceptable. We have one chance in a thousand to have that type of room with everything that is happening in the House. We had the room, but the cameras were not turned on. That means that we are not providing transparency for the Canadian people.
I am advising the committee that at the next meeting I will be tabling a motion so that when a minister, the Official Languages Commissioner, or an important public figure appears before the committee, it will not be considered part of the committee's regular agenda. We took great pains to ensure that we would be in a room where broadcasting would be possible. If we are in a committee room that makes it possible for the meeting to be broadcast, then that is what should be done.