Procedure and House Affairs committee  Excellent, that's a great contribution to this discussion. Thank you so much, Deputy.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Just to follow up, we've been talking around it, but I really want your perspective because, in your capacity as Deputy Speaker, you've spent more time than most of us thinking of this place holistically—every day, it's your job—and how things move and what's doable and what isn't.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  So you think that is something we should at least consider even in the initial trial process?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm probably out of time.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thanks, Chair.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thanks, Chair. Deputy Speaker, thanks so much for attending today. You and I have similar experience in this place. You arrived in the 39th Parliament in 2006, and I got here in the 38th Parliament, just 18 months before you, so most of our experience is the same. Again, to speak to my experience in coming to this, I've also been a House leader in opposition at Queen's Park, but I was also a part of the House management committee when we were in government.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I liked what you said in noting that we need to reflect on our initial raison d'être. If we stay on that point and let the government of the day, regardless of who it is, know that this is not about trying to play any games with that timing, but rather enhancing the backbench....

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I found it curious that you mentioned ministers. Could you expand on that a bit? As you know, we separate that pretty clearly here, and yet you're bringing.... That brings back some interesting points. Ministers of the Crown—and I've sat as a minister, provincially—are still members in their own right, with constituencies and constituents and the politics of getting re-elected.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  All right. As fortune would have it, I've been tasked with bringing back the recommendations to the committee, so I'll get on that post-haste and see if I can meet that deadline.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  We're on it, Chair.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Why is he here?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, it was on the chamber. Okay, fine.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I mentioned at an earlier gathering that in terms of the Standing Orders, the public accounts committee may be looking at forwarding a recommendation for change to this committee. The meeting before this one was public accounts. I asked again if a majority is interested in getting those changes through.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, I can. There are two changes. One is to insert into the mandate the word “non-partisan” to make it clear that public accounts is a different creature because of its oversight responsibilities. Then the second one is to ensure that we don't repeat the absolute democratic nightmare that we went though—I won't say when—when a new government came in and wiped out all of the work that was being done by the public accounts committee.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  So you think. That's as far as you know.