Mr. Chair, this feels a little bit like Groundhog Day. I had a chance to sit in committee with some of the members that are on this committee earlier today, and this one kind of feels like The NeverEnding Story, Mr. Chair.
I guess you guys are into your sixth hour, or something like that, today. There seem to be a lot of hours that are piling up in this committee here.
The truth is that I'm keenly interested in asking some really tough questions and seeing exactly what transpired with SDTC. Those who have followed along in the ethics committee will know that to be the case. This is something we've delved into. I'm sure we're going to revisit it, as it tends to be the habit of our Conservative friends to bring these types of motions to all committees they sit at.
In fact, as I referenced, some of those members are here today.
Again, as is well documented in my time on the ethics committee, I am unwilling to support this kind of blank cheque for available resources as necessary. We have 25 members, and we're all very stretched on our committee work. I'm sitting in for somebody, so I'm not willing to commit their time, as they're travelling right now.
What I'd like to do, Mr. Chair, is amend the motion. I support it in principle. As New Democrats, we do support it.
I'd strike out the section on available resources and replace it with “during regularly scheduled meetings”.
That's the amendment I'd like to propose. It's very similar to amendments I've proposed at the ethics committee, which these members will be familiar with. It is in keeping with the way we're treating the rest of this session.
I'll say in closing, Mr. Williamson, that we are in the final weeks of this session. This has certainly been on the docket for quite some time, and it's definitely important. New Democrats believe it is important to provide accountability on this file. In terms of its urgency and warranting the ability to meet in extended hours when we're already stretched with our committee responsibilities, I'm not sure that is going to be wise for us.
Something that folks may or may not have taken into consideration is that there's a possibility, in these upcoming weeks, with a pending strike with CBSA, that our airports, travel and all types of things can go sideways over these next couple of weeks, given what's before us.
For that reason, I'm putting forward the amendment to keep it within your regularly scheduled meetings, so that we can deal with it in due course.
Thank you.