Nonetheless, it's been a fairly collegial committee and I think it's been a non-partisan committee. I'm not sure why you would start a new sitting of this committee raising this as an issue. You know—and in fact your introductory comments made it quite clear that you're aware of the fact—that chairs don't cast ballots unless it's a tie vote on a committee.
I don't understand why you think this is something we need to be debating at great length today. I certainly don't come at this from a partisan perspective. As you know, not all committees nor all subcommittees are chaired by government members. For me, at least, this is not a partisan issue in the least. But frankly, I don't feel empowered as a committee member to give you the right to be the exception to the normal procedures of the House. I'm a little startled by the fact that you think you have the right to assume those powers for yourself.
I can certainly appreciate that you weren't happy with votes that constructed the subcommittee in the way that we now come together. Nonetheless, that doesn't change the role of the chair, nor, in my view, either the rights or the obligations of the chair for this committee. I actually agree with Madam Jennings and the position she's taking on this.