Procedure and House Affairs committee  This time, unlike the last Parliament, we get to do a lot of this stuff publicly. There is a judge out there. We have a chance to explain what's going on. You may be right, but, boy, do they really want to go down that road?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm not so sure because this is all out in the open now. You can pull off that stuff a lot more easily when nobody is looking and nobody cares. It's moved now. This is now a big deal. I hear what you're saying. I think if we structure this the right way politically they shouldn't be able to do that even if structurally, legally, they could.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No, you're right.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No, you're trying to think of a way out of it because what you're trying to do is delay this and you're running out of runway. This game is over. Let's get this done, sir.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  How so? You have all the time you want to say what you want. How is that surrender? You're going to lose the vote. You know that. The question is, how long are you going to avoid our having the right to vote?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  There are judges out there. They're called the public. This is a public meeting, and they're going to understand very clearly who's doing what and why.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, but I was wasn't part of that. Ninety per cent of that's gone if I shut up.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Give them a chance.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Quite frankly, they have that right anyway. Once they take the floor they can filibuster. The difference is that we would agree not to adjourn and to continue with the meeting until such time as we have concluded everybody's remarks, which would allow us to continue to begin the work.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I have a question at this stage. Mr. Nater, you were willing to move a motion that would have us pick up this discussion after, which is not unlike what we asked for earlier. I'm giving you all the room to talk as long as you want, but would you agree that once we entertain that debate, we don't rise from this meeting until we vote?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Okay. That's fine. Mr. Reid, you got the answer. I think it was a helpful answer. I certainly appreciate the minister's flexibility to help us do this as peacefully as we can but still get it done, so I come back to you, sir. Are you and your team open to the idea that we will return to this debate after we've heard one full hour from the minister, who has now graciously agreed to massage her schedule to allow all of us to have a full hour.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I do believe that, but I'm more interested in hearing whether we're going to get a vote or whether you guys are going to drag this out and we're going to have to use the heavy hand of going back to the House and getting an order to hear, which I will be prepared to support if necessary.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Be specific when you say, “You guys”.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  On a point of order, Mr. Chair, could I, with respect, ask Mr. Reid if he would accept a Simms protocol question?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Do you have any interest, and would it be helpful, if we agreed to flip the discussion, assuming that we're all wanting to do this? That's my assumption. We'll see. Do we maybe want to hear from the minister, spend that time—because you rightly point out we could lose that—and flip this discussion to the hour after the minister is done?