Thank you, Chair.
Speaking to the motion, I find two pieces problematic, and perhaps Mr. Saxton will be able to address them for me.
The first is that we “begin a study of the Spring 2012 Report”. The obvious question to that is, when? Of course it says that this committee will then hold a planning session at the meeting on April 24—which is Tuesday coming up—versus now, when we're actually here. I don't see a reason to delay. Why wouldn't we indeed work on our witness lists? We are certainly prepared to do that. I would hope that other members are as well. I don't know that for certain, but I would expect there's probably some work being done.
If it isn't a complete list, my suggestion to Mr. Saxton would be that there maybe needs to be a friendly amendment that leaves it open. If the government doesn't have a full list at this point and wants to add one or two or three or four or ten later on, they'd be allowed to do that, as would any other member, if that's the case.
I certainly don't want to see us pass a motion in this regard, to wait till Tuesday. As we know, we have business on the agenda for Tuesday now. This would just simply push everything back. We're here. We're scheduled to be here till four o'clock. Why not simply get the work done?
I know that the preference of my colleagues on the committee is to always use our time wisely, and I believe it's been done in the past. I think in this particular case, perhaps Mr. Saxton can help me with those two parts.
When are we going to do it? Obviously we want to do it right away. I believe I heard from Mr. Kramp and from Mr. Saxton earlier in their opening remarks that they also want to get this under way very expeditiously. I choose that word because it means “right away”. Obviously it won't be today. We can't get witnesses here today, but we certainly can get them here in a very quick fashion. I would look to you, Chair, and to the clerk to help us with that, for obviously probably sometime next week, which would open things up for next Thursday.
Of course I'm looking for us to take out April 24, because that simply pushes us back. I don't see why we can't start that process today, and hopefully even finish it, if possible. I don't know. I look to my colleagues to help me with those two particular parts.
As for the rest of it, Chair—reporting back to the House—that's standard procedure for this committee. We write a report, and we report it back. I see nothing wrong with that. Having the Auditor General come back to do chapter 2 is obvious. I would absolutely agree that he should probably be our first witness to speak specifically to the chapter.
I am looking for answers to those two specific points I've raised in regard to Mr. Saxton's motion.