Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We should perhaps provide some background for the people joining us now. We are debating a motion and an amendment to that motion. The motion asks that all committee business be conducted in camera. This motion comes from the government side. One of the official opposition members moved an amendment so that the motion asks for the consent of at least one member of the opposition at the start of a meeting, I believe.
Mr. Chair, I am going to take advantage of the fact that we are in public session and repeat some of the arguments I have been making for some time now. I have to be careful because we cannot repeat everything that is said in camera. But I will still speak publicly. This way, if I am going to be accused of something, I will be accused of speaking publicly, which seems to be the current trend.
Mr. Chair, I have said, and I am going to say it again, that it is simply inconceivable for all committee business to be conducted in camera. A motion like this one, asking that all committee business be conducted in camera, is unconstitutional and anti-democratic. This is not the way to do things. The committee must reject a motion like that.
This is the Parliament of Canada and we are accountable to Canadians. As parliamentarians, we have rights that enable us to communicate with our constituents. In fact, we have a duty to communicate with our constituents. We have a duty to be accountable. So asking that everything be conducted in camera is simply mind-boggling. I strongly object to this, Mr. Chair.