Mr. Chairman, the remedy, if you like, the way of resolving this, in theory, is that the committee would call in the minister of the department and hold the minister to account and say, “Minister, your officials are not giving us the information we are entitled to.” Now, if the minister himself or herself likewise refused to give it, then you'd report to the House, and the House then would have an issue with the minister in the House as a matter of confidence. Do you know what I mean? That is the theory of how it works, but that doesn't take away from the principle.
The principle is as a matter of law that the committee is entitled to the information it seeks. But you are right, it can be difficult. The difficulty is the problem of enforcement. Yes, witnesses, departments of governments, agencies, whoever, private citizens could be in difficult circumstances where they have one principle of law telling them not to and the committee is telling them “Never mind, give it to us.” That can be a difficult situation.