Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm glad that I'm able to speak at this point, because in the course of the discussion to date in this meeting, we can see the difference between substantive testimony—testimony that is helpful to this committee's work—and what amounts to a fishing expedition. On the substantive testimony, that is why I am certainly in agreement.
I know, in discussing this with my colleagues, that we take this work very seriously. We can have differences about what witnesses we want to hear from and when we want to hear from them and so on, but once this committee makes a decision, we are very supportive on this side in going after the testimony that is critical to producing what will ultimately be our report and our recommendations on this pandemic study.
It seems that with the motion before us the only issue in asking for Mr. Chin has to do with this one-line response through LinkedIn that was in response to an unsolicited invite to be a contact with Mr. Kielburger. I seem to remember this coming out last summer in the document dump—I don't like that word, because documents should be treated carefully. When that number was asked for—and I know they were gone through very carefully—that seems to be the only thing that came out from that production of documents. In fact, there was a press conference about this LinkedIn communication—I guess that's good for LinkedIn's business—but it really didn't seem to go anywhere. That's from last summer.
As far as the due diligence report goes, we all know that Mr. Shugart is undergoing cancer treatments right now.
First of all, let me just say something about the characterization in the motion of “the Liberal Government's Privy Council”. I take great exception to that smear on the good non-partisan work of public servants in the Privy Council, including that of Mr. Shugart. We know by his reputation and by his experience that he has been an exemplar of non-partisan professional service to Canada. I take great exception to that.
The Privy Council works on behalf of all Canadians in executing the work of the government that Canadians have elected. Therefore, when Mr. Shugart gives us his word that he will produce a document, I think we should take him at that word. Knowing that he's in a health situation right now and that he's undergoing treatment, I think this committee can show the same kind of flexibility that we have shown to other witnesses. Indeed, where I will agree with my colleagues is that we have much more important work to do than to continue taking up valuable committee time calling witnesses on a fishing expedition in pursuing this study.
Thank you.