Procedure and House Affairs committee  Here's the thing, if I can jump right in, Chair. I do apologize for not being here right at the top to deal with this. We're bringing in Mr. Johnston as a result of the announcement today by the government. That's a good thing. But I have to tell you, Chair, we need the minister here.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Could we get the government members to agree, in principle, that the minister should be here, as if this were legislation, because it's brand new?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It's a brand new entity. It's brand new. If this were legislation, the minister would be here as a matter of course, but you guys so mismanaged your file on democratic reform that you ran out of time and now you have to do it by edict. At the very least, the committee should have an opportunity to talk about it, given how much time we spent on our report, the very report the minister seems to have conveniently ignored and run roughshod over.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Can I hold my five minutes until then?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Very good. Thank you, Mr. Motz. Thank you, Chair.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you, Chair. Thanks very much, Glen. I appreciate your coming in. I have to say that, like a few people here, I've been around the bush on this one, both here and also in a previous life at Queen's Park. We had a very similar thing. Scotty, you and I have been down the road on this a few times.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You can do better than that. You're going to have to.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I hear you, Mr. Bittle, but here's how I'm looking at it—and I could be wrong. I'm looking at this politically and thinking that if this committee is still sitting two days from now around the clock, it'll have some 'splainin' to do. I don't think the Conservative position right now is tenable with the public, especially if we're willing to give them all the time in the world to say what they want.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  What's your experience doing job interviews?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I appreciate that, sir. You don't mind if I put belts and suspenders on too, though, do you?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thanks, Chair. Thank you, Mr. Reid.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Do you want me to hold the floor so you can do a Simms? Okay, I select the floor.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's close. I was just saying we would all acknowledge that they're going to take whatever time they want to finish putting their remarks on the public record in front of the cameras, but the agreement here would be that this meeting doesn't adjourn. Do you remember the stunts the previous government pulled?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, sir.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Because we would then be into an extraordinary situation whereby the House could be sitting at eight or nine o'clock tonight, midnight. For them to suddenly change gears after that, I suppose they could but—