Mr. Speaker, I want to comment on this because I have had a similar experience. The fact is that the chair of any committee, and in fact all the members of a committee, do rely on table officers to provide them with advice; we can only assume. But when there is a challenge, the challenge then is a challenge which is voted on by the committee members without the knowledge of the rules. We should not get away from the fact that if there was an error in the advice of the table officers to the chair or to the committee then there must be a remedy to rectify it.
I also wanted to rise because I am also aware that this problem was brought to the attention of the Table prior to returning the bill from committee and reporting that bill to the House. I would like to know more about that, because if that bill had not been tabled there could have been a report stage motion tabled in time. Once the bill is tabled, and with, I believe, the restrictions on the timeframe of submitting report stage motions, it could have been a frustration of the opportunity to correct or remedy a possible error at committee. It has happened where bills will have report stage within 48 hours of being reported to the House.
I do believe that this is much more than a dispute between parties. I think the fundamental question appears to be whether or not there was an error in ruling or judgment on behalf of the table officers advising a committee.