Procedure and House Affairs committee  You're way ahead of me there. That's all very interesting. It would make sense. Again, as I said before, I have not looked deeply into the conventions surrounding the Speaker of the House of Commons. That applies doubly so for the Speaker of the Senate.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No. I'll just say that I've greatly enjoyed reading the testimony of the other witnesses. I actually found that the quality of the questions throughout have shown a very well-briefed and well-functioning committee. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to be here.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That puts us on some fairly tricky ground.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I do not know whether the Senate Speaker has the same access to the Governor General. I can't see a reason in principle why not; I've heard of no convention to the contrary. If the advice, and here I don't want to misspeak.... It's not so terribly important if the information is contrary from the Speaker of the House or the Speaker of the Senate.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes. I'm now causing—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Someone's now going to have to come after me to clarify my remarks.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, that's correct. The significance of the motion isn't in the motion itself; the significance is in how it's received by the political actors. So it has ordinary force as a motion, but the way that everyone looks at it and says yes, that's the phrasing, we all agree on the statement of principle....

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's correct. It would not be a convention. It could become one later.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I wouldn't envision anything that is different from the process currently followed for appointments to the Supreme Court. Correct me if I'm mistaken about the process, but as I understand it, that appointment rests with the Prime Minister throughout. I am not entirely sure what the status is of a hearing before Parliament, but there is even greater value with the appointment of the Governor General than there is in following that process for a Supreme Court nominee, because it's much more relevant for the function of the Governor General to hear from parliamentarians as to what they expect from a Governor General.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Do you want my thoughts on the motion?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Sorry. I've interrupted you.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think the motion can provide a good starting point for the formation of a convention. The agreement is what's important here. If that motion can attract the requisite agreement, then you have what you came for.