Information & Ethics committee  No, that's contradictory.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't see how something can be both legal and unethical. The way we write legislation, I think it's impossible for the two to coexist. However, we're talking hypotheticals here. I'd rather you provide an example of a case in which you think there's a legal issue, but not an ethical one.

Information & Ethics committee  My colleague is pointing out that we just give advice. We don't judge. We give advice, and, in that context, we say there are ethical aspects that are unacceptable.

Information & Ethics committee  It's a code of conduct, but it starts with the assumption that you're an honest person and you want to avoid conflict. If you are in a situation where you find difficulty, you come to us—

Information & Ethics committee  I'm sorry. To answer your question, you asked whether it's about self-correcting. Obviously, if there's a problem, we expect you to self-correct—

Information & Ethics committee  No, no—

Information & Ethics committee  No, that's not quite it. You come to me with a problem and I say to do as I say. You can accept this item, but if it's over $200, you have to report it. If you don't report it, I'll start an investigation.

Information & Ethics committee  If you do report it, the world knows, and your electors are the judge of whether that's a proper gift for you to accept or not.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  That's right.

Information & Ethics committee  As far as I am concerned, it is.

Information & Ethics committee  You're quite right that there is no value stated in the act, and it doesn't come into play. What I discussed with Mr. Villemure was a really exceptional circumstance. Would you do something if you couldn't use it? There has to be a limit. There has to be a societal limit, an ethical limit of how far you can go.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't look at it at all, because it's expressly accepted under the code. Now, if you're worried about public trust and confidence, etc., maybe you want to change it and you want to put some restrictions or some limitations on it. That's up to you to decide. You impose the codes upon yourselves.

Information & Ethics committee  If you impose such a restriction on yourselves, then you have to be very careful to specify what exactly is acceptable and what is not. In terms of monetary limit or political leanings or whether it's foreign or domestic or whatever, what are the criteria according to which this sponsored travel would have to be judged?

Information & Ethics committee  Again, if he has, it's up to him to disclose and not for me to say whether he has or hasn't.