Mr. Chair, I hear what's being said. I'm not going to argue point by point, but I think it's necessary to say a couple of things just briefly.
I know the minister values the work of this committee. Not only do I know that, but the minister said so when he was here. I know also what kind of response that can bring, but let me just say this. This is a very tenuous Parliament. We have two pieces of legislation that we were mandated to look at. In the reality of the political sphere, the desire to make points and the desire for each side to declare which of them is more important than the other is there, and it's up to a committee to decide where it's going.
Let me just say that it's obvious from the witnesses, especially the police, and especially from some of the events that have happened in this country and in this province in the last few days, that we need this kind of legislation and need it PDQ. There are a bunch of other things I could say, and I don't disagree that probably there are some additional things we can do with the legislation; nothing's ever perfect.
And it is going to come back—we have a chance to make improvements to the legislation—so all is not lost. The deliberations of the committee are not lost, because we'll be able to fix and rectify those things that we as a committee may feel are lacking and add to them. So I don't really think it's the end of the world.
This Parliament is a minority government, we know, and there are things that have been mandated. And the current legislation—I'd like to throw partisan jabs at it—is sadly lacking. We know it is.
I suspect, although I'm not privy to the minister's deliberations, that some of the things I've just said influenced the manner in which the legislation was introduced.
Thank you.