Well, for the record, government leader, we still haven’t heard over a number of years when that decision will take place. We keep hearing dates and promises by the Prime Minister, and that line in the sand always seems to be moving along the beach as the days go by.

I have another question for you, government leader, because you know I’m an ardent defender of the Westminster parliamentary system. From time to time these days, I engage in Zoom round tables with university students of politics across the country. A couple of days ago, there were a few of them who asked me, “Why are Senator Gold and Senator Gagné misleading the public?” And I said, “Hold on there, I know them both to be very honourable people, so I take exception to your claim,” but they wanted me to put this question forward.

They simply had this question: How could the two government representatives in the chamber, who are not members of any other caucus in this place except representatives of the government — of course, the government leader is summoned here by a letter of the Prime Minister to act as government leader, modelled as representative of the government. They themselves found it peculiar. I didn’t know this, but when you stand up in this place to answer questions, the Government Representative is identified on CPAC as non-affiliated.

These students found it peculiar and unusual that in the Parliament of Canada, a Government Representative who sits on a cabinet committee, but who is not a minister, is non-affiliated. I was perplexed. I could not give them an answer, and I promised that I would give you an opportunity to do so because they do follow Question Period of the Senate.