Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will give my perspective on this one. I look at it in a fairly straightforward way. The Standing Committee on Finance had requested of the department, near the beginning of this session, an action plan. The department, at that time, wasn't able to give that action plan, so we deferred this particular department to the end of the budget session. They are still not able to.
The feeling of our department is that there are still unresolved issues between the Standing Committee on Finance and the Department of Health. We think it is responsible to try to conclude the business of the budget before March 31. We think it is responsible to try to conclude the budget of this department before March 31. Rather than drag this out for the next two weeks, force the government to vote supply, force the department to vote supply, or hold the department at some sort of ransom, we thought a reasonable way was to give the department an extra six weeks.
They will appear in front of us again. We will take up this unresolved issue. I don't see it as a big deal. I think it is a responsible way of handling a difference of opinion. It shouldn't be viewed as a total condemnation of the Department of Health or of the Minister. There are some questions that we want answered. That is what it is. We also want to do the responsible thing here and do our duty in getting this budget concluded. I just hope people don't over-react to what the Standing Committee on Finance is asking for here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.