Procedure and House Affairs committee  May I ask one more question to Mr. Reid? If we proceed the way we are right now, I could be wrong but my hunch is that the official opposition is not quite finished doing their talking. I understand what the government is doing. I think Mr. Reid is probably accurate, that you're using this as a bit of pressure to leverage the government to make a vote, but I don't think it's going to work.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Can I get a ruling on the question, please? There's no sense in my arguing something that I may have already won depending on the ruling. If you don't mind, I'll wait.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm good.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Oh, sorry, you're even closer.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  My apologies for the riding mix-up.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  On a point of order, Chair, this is for you or the clerk. When we meet later this afternoon with the minister, by unanimous consent, could we still put this motion in front of us and pass it today?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's what I would suggest.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes. We can have a separate, stand-alone meeting, constituting the meeting and date. That's what I was seeking to do. I knew we could. I just wasn't sure about the mechanics. Unanimously, we can do just about anything except change the Constitution.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That does require unanimity now.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Do you know what? My intervention basically allowed me to express myself. I don't want to slow it down any more than I need to in terms of the time I take. My position has been very clear, publicly and privately, to ministers, government members and opposition members. The entire world knows—anybody who cares—where the NDP, and me in particular as a member of this committee, are on this business.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Hear, hear!

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Walk the walk.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That would be a Scott courtesy, a Reid courtesy.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No, they didn't.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Chair, it's been a while since I've used a point of order. How do I access a Simms protocol? Do I ask Scott if I can talk? Is that how that works?