Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. Having served on the justice committee with the member, I know his questions are often to the point. This is one that is because it goes to the very core of what I was saying.
Without proper legal representation, that trail is left to the students themselves. There will be some assistance by the counsel for the commission. He is to be commended and he said he will do what he can to assist the students.
I have very real questions regarding this forum even getting that far. This is why I wanted a judicial inquiry into the matter to begin with. In the absence of that, it is left to the students to try to find a way to infiltrate the very corridors of power in this country.
What that means is issuing subpoenas, understanding what subpoenas mean, understanding the time limits under which they can be served and understanding the rules under which they can be served.
I dare say few members of this House understand those rules. There are many lawyers who do not practice courtroom litigation. I dare say many of them would not understand the rules.
In the absence of legal counsel for those students, they are left to figure out the very complex rules of getting documents that the government will say are protected by cabinet secrecy, mark my words. It will say that and it is left to the students to figure out how to launch an appeal to the Federal Court of Canada to open the door to get those documents.
Those students will have to figure that out because they do not have a lawyer but the lawyers for the government will know the ways to close those doors before they are even open. I think that is the answer to the hon. member's question.