Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My thanks to our guests for participating in our meeting.
How competition can make infrastructure dollars go further—that is the topic of our present study. I admit that I have a problem with this title, because I feel that the only question we have been asking since the beginning of the debate is whether we should favour open or closed tendering.
Yet practically 100% of the witnesses who have appeared before the committee since the beginning of the study have the same opinion on this issue. I fully understand that position and I keep it in mind. However, I would like to hear the other side of the story and I am well aware that it won't be you who will tell it to me.
Can we agree that all the elected members at the various government levels, whether it be the municipal, provincial or federal level, must have the same concern to get the most out of every taxpayer dollar? Can we quickly have the consensus, yes or no? I am keen to find out, because once we have the consensus on this, we will be able to hear from municipal and provincial representatives who will tell me why they need to have the closed tendering process.
Mr. Blakely, do you have any thoughts on that?