So basically what we're dealing with here is a proposed section that has very little to do with elections whatsoever. Ms. Jennings actually makes the government's point for it, in pointing out that political trusts are largely dealt with in Bill C-24, which has already been adopted.
This proposed Accountability Act, in this proposed section, is inclined to deal with personal trusts and other things that could be inclined to influence the behaviour of a member of Parliament. It is designed to eliminate trusts for MPs because they are inherently problematic, as they offer the opportunity for MPs to acquire secret compensation that could influence them in the performance of their duties. It is not the same as a political trust that is designed to run a campaign. That is why it's in the Parliament of Canada Act. Provisions like these have always been in the Parliament of Canada Act.
So it doesn't specifically deal with candidates; it deals specifically with elected representatives and avoiding the prospect that they might be influenced through a special personal trust that could be set up for them. So if you transfer this over to Elections Canada, what you are doing is you are then putting it under the rubric of the Chief Electoral Officer, who really has very little to do with the day-to-day accountability of members of Parliament and public office holders. You're also applying it then to all the candidates in an election, are you not?
For the record, I'm getting yes from the members of the panel.