Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm certainly glad that all members are getting a copy of this motion. It's a very good motion. I think it hits at the heart of the matter.
This new information we've received—that the chief of staff of the public safety minister knew, that staff in the Prime Minister's Office knew and that the Privy Council Office knew—raises very important questions that need to be further looked into. This is a question about the principle of ministerial accountability.
If there is a policy, unofficial or official, in ministers' offices or in the Prime Minister's Office that staff are not to inform ministers of hot-button, controversial issues, I think this undermines a key tenet of ministerial responsibility and ministerial accountability. If that is, indeed, a policy, I think it needs to be looked into, because ministerial accountability is one of the bedrock principles of our parliamentary system of government. We cannot allow mistakes like this, whether deliberate or from incompetence, to continue. It is a very worthwhile study for us to continue at this committee.
Also, we need to look further into Bill C-83 and other legislation that I think has been contributing to this rise in the number of transfers out of maximum-security and into medium-security prisons.
With that, I'll say I support this motion and I'll pass it on to the next speaker.
Thank you.