John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have found these contributions useful at least from the perspective of this not being where I want to go. I have a reasonably open mind, although as to how open, we will discover in time, but the Canadian model seems to have happened by accident. I think MAID is such an unfortunate acronym. I may sound preachy and I want to respect all the witnesses, but I just think of a maid and, stereotypically, a maid was someone who did the bidding of their elders or betters. The main aspect I take away from the discussion probably relates to how comfortably the witnesses use the term, and I would hate to get to a position where we were using such a term so comfortably. It actually upsets me. Nevertheless, I thank the witnesses for giving us so much of their time. I do not think we have previously had witnesses who have been at such polar extremes in terms of their contributions. Canada's reputation in the world has always been one of the quiet neighbour to the United States, so I am taken aback at how this has progressed so quickly. I can speak only for myself but I am in a different space. I consider myself to have a reasonably horizontal view of the world and to be reasonably informed and reasonably read, but the Canadian model as enunciated is something with which I would feel distinctly uncomfortable.