While I have the floor, I would throw on the floor for consideration of colleagues that we schedule Mr. Walsh to come in to tell us what our options are.
If we agree to that, then I think the other thing we can kick around today is whether we want to go any further. We know we have a number of outside groups and an individual who would like to give testimony. We could start to grapple with whether or not we want to do that in the absence of the former commissioner's presence here.
I would leave with colleagues that at the very least we look at bringing Mr. Walsh in next time so we can get definitive answers to the questions we have. When we start mucking around with laws and powers of Parliament...this is serious stuff. We need to know, not just what the rules are but what the implications are. I would feel a lot more comfortable if Mr. Walsh were here with the authority of his office, giving us that advice as a starting point.
Then, if we have time today and we want to, we can talk about whether we want to continue with other witnesses in the interim or put this file in abeyance until we've heard from Mr. Walsh and make our decisions then.
Thanks, Chair.