Including advertising.
In any case, we are only beginning our study. It could take quite a long time.
When Mr. Van Loan appeared before the Committee, he said that the bill currently under consideration would give the government complete flexibility in terms of deciding to hold a consultation, when to hold it, in how many provinces to hold it at the same time—it obviously would have to occur at the same time as a federal or provincial election—and how many seats would be involved, vacant or otherwise.
That is a lot of flexibility. You mentioned that you would prefer that it be done at the same time as a federal election. Given that there can only be elections in five of the ten provinces and that elections could be held even if there are no vacant seats in the Senate, might that affect the voter turnout rate and the seriousness with which people treat this type of consultation? For example, there would not be consultation underway in Quebec, but in Ontario, there would, and we know that media coverage is often from coast to coast—you note I didn't say “national”, because several nations are part of the Canadian political landscape. If a consultation can be held even when there are no vacant seats, why would people want to go and vote, since the candidates they select might not get appointed for four or even eight years.
Do you not think the flexibility the government has given itself in Bill C-20 is problematic?