I have indicated that I am going to consider the remarks and look at what he said. If necessary, I will come back to the House to address this. That is the end of the question. I do not believe there are any other points to raise. I have to look at what he said. I will do so and, if necessary, I will come back to it.
I would now like to come back to the question of privilege raised by the hon. member for Wascana.
Yesterday, when this happened, no one rose except the government House leader to answer the question concerning the business of this committee, so I recognized the government House leader. I did not see the chair of the committee. I do not know whether he left the House or not. In any event, he did not rise to answer the question, and I do not believe he was in his seat. I do not know who the deputy chair of the committee is off the top of my head, but no other member rose to answer, so I recognized the government House leader.
I do not think the question is whether anyone else is allowed to answer or not. The question for the Speaker of the House is to take a look at those who are standing to answer and choose who is going to answer.
The chair, as I say, did not rise. The House leader did. No one else did so I recognized the House leader to answer the question. I assumed the member would prefer to get an answer from the House leader than none whatsoever, and on we went.
If the Committee on Procedure and House Affairs wishes to make recommendations on how the Speaker should deal with those questions in future, I am more than happy to receive recommendations from it. Of course the House leaders and whips can have a little meeting and tell me what they think. I am happy to hear on this, but in my view, when no one else rises, it is reasonable to expect an answer to a question, even if it comes from on high. Yesterday that is exactly what we got.
Therefore, I do not think it was an error in that sense if the chair was not here and the deputy chair did not rise.