First of all, as I said just before you adjourned the meeting--and I'm sure it's in the blues from the meeting--rather than making a decision now, because it is controversial, you should check with the Speaker, the Clerk of the House, and the law clerk and bring their opinions to bear on the issue before you rule whether or not the motion is in order. It seems to me that you haven't had time to consult with these people. Therefore, until you can, you are not in a position to make a ruling.
Number two, Mr. Chairman--and it was brought up the other day, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj--is Standing Order 18. The whole reason, of course, is because of asking the former Lieutenant Governor to explain her expenses while she was in office. Standing Order 18 says:
No Member shall speak disrespectfully of the Sovereign, nor of any of the Royal Family, nor of the Governor General or the person administering the Government of Canada....
That includes Madame Lise Thibault when she was Lieutenant Governor.
I would think that when somebody comes before this committee, quite often it's a fairly testy situation. It has been on the odd occasion, and it may be with her. I don't know, but we're certainly not going to have her treated disrespectfully.
Also, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj--and I raised this last week--the issue of a representative of the Crown appearing in the House of Commons is constitutionally barred. That issue has to be addressed, and it's been in since 1642 or 1644. My memory is a little vague, going back that far, but it's one of these two dates.
So it's a constitutional question that needs to be resolved, Mr. Chairman, and I would suggest that you rule that the matter cannot go forward until you have consulted these people.