Really, I am having trouble accepting that. I don't mind that we are moving this from May 18 to 30, but to say that he can come when he feels like it...
We are already giving him a period of time over the next few weeks. Are official languages important for the government or not? Why can he not take two hours to appear before the Standing Committee on Official Languages? Where is the problem? This government has trumpeted far and wide that it is acting for the good of official languages. Why does he not come to trumpet it before our committee? Let him make his presentation and give us the opportunity... As I stated earlier, we have spent six months considering the roadmap. We want the minister to be accountable for official languages within his department.
First, it is not unusual to have a minister appear for two hours.
Second, we are setting a deadline but we are not telling him he has to be here next week. We know he is busy and it seems to me that giving him until the end of May is reasonable. When he does become available by May 18, then we will give him all the time needed, we will give him the morning. But we cannot say that he can come when he wants, for no more than an hour, and that we are sure he will come before the end of June. That is not how these things work.