Mr. Walsh, I would ask that when you sit down with your drafters, you draft an amendment to Bill C-2 that will clearly indicate that it is not the preference of this committee to allow the proposed Conflict of Interest Act to override the traditional and longstanding constitutional position and parliamentary privileges of the House and its members. Thus a provision should be, through amendment, inserted into the proposed Conflict of Interest Act to show that very clearly.
I believe--and I'm speaking for myself--that this House and its members, through this committee, should reflect long and hard before subjugating our privileges and the traditional position of the House and its members to any statute.
I would hope that the government, now that it is aware of the consequences of Bill C-2 as it is now written, if it wishes to proceed in like manner, would mount a convincing argument and debate on the issue before taking that ultimate step. I would hope as well that each member of this committee, regardless of which political party they belong to, before casting their vote to reject or adopt an amendment to the Conflict of Interest Act...which would state clearly that it does not override the constitutional position and parliamentary privileges of the House and its members.
Thank you.