Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition that has been a concern of not only my constituents but of citizens from coast to coast to coast. This is a petition to hold MPs accountable to their electors.
The petitioners want Parliament to strengthen democratic accountability by taking all necessary steps to ensure that MPs who switch party affiliation must immediately resign and face electors in a byelection.
I have thousands and thousands of names here from people from Ontario, B.C., places right across the country, the Maritimes, as well as the north who want their government to be accountable and their MPs to be accountable. They want to ensure that when they vote for an MP who is with a particular party that they do not wake up the next morning and find out, quel dommage, they have switched parties.
I present this petition and look forward to the response from the government.