Senator Batters: I will try to make myself heard over this mask.

How many committees are able to sit at once under this revised virtual system or hybrid system? I’m wondering why the Senate previously was a lot further behind the House of Commons. They got back to many simultaneous committees functioning at once, and they were able to have hybrid committee hearings, whereas a lot of times the Senate was forced to have only virtual committee hearings. I’m wondering if that has changed.

We’re one of two chambers of Parliament. We have excellent committee hearings, and I want to make sure that our committee hearings are treated equally.

Senator Batters: Senator Gold, “sharing” implies sharing and equality, not subservience to the House of Commons. I’m hopeful that we will be in a situation where our committees are also able to be hybrid, so if we’re here we can choose to attend in person or be virtual.

I’m wondering if you have any more information with regard to that. Will our committees be able to be hybrid or will they be mostly virtual?

Hon. Denise Batters: Senator Gold, would you take a question?