Thank you, Chair.
The situation is outrageous. We can have some levity in passing, but I'm extremely frustrated that we have witnesses who don't understand how the law works and who don't understand the fact that a parliamentary committee is unfettered in its right to access documents.
We should use that power responsibly. We will use that power responsibly. We are not seeking these documents for public release. We are saying that the members of this committee should be able to privately access this information so that we can provide information to the government, yet the government is unwilling to provide these contracts and you are opposing the provision of these contracts.
It makes me wonder what in it is so damaging to you or to the government that allowing members of Parliament to privately review them would be such a concern.
I want to particularly highlight that Speaker Anthony Rota made a ruling at the end of the last Parliament that reaffirmed 100 years of precedent, saying that parliamentary committees have an unfettered right to access documents. Do you recognize the authority of the Speaker to make that ruling, and do you believe that the government and that companies should comply with the law in this respect?
Now I'll take a short answer from all of the witnesses. Do you recognize the authority of the Speaker to make this ruling and the obligation of the government and of companies to comply with the law?
We'll start with Mr. Baylet.