Madam Speaker, I have had the opportunity to inquire into the matter raised previously on a point of privilege by another member of the House in the matter of the tabling of a report by the chair of the finance committee.
I think there was a bit of a misunderstanding, I am sure inadvertently, in the beginning. I had concluded from the comments of some hon. members that there was an allegation that in fact the report had been circulated and made available to the media and possibly commented on by the chair of the committee prior to it being tabled in the House.
I am satisfied that was not the case. In fact the document was tabled in the House and then the chair left and commented on this report.
I was also led to believe, and perhaps this is my mistake, that copies were made available to the media prior to being made available to members. That was not accurate either.
I have made inquiries to the officials of the House of Commons and they inform me that they are doing their best to have copies available as quickly as they can. Obviously, committee members had their own working copies when they were in committee. Apparently two or three copies are being sent to the opposition lobbies now, with the good graces of our clerk's office, and I have obtained two copies myself which I am certainly willing to share with any hon. member who wants one.
I am told that the matter is a matter of printing with the House of Commons and has nothing to do at all with anything that the chair either has done by way of commission or omission.