Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The position of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has really bowled me over. I was absolutely shocked to see how a situation that had never happened in the past resulting from... Mr. Tilson's complaint would ensure that the rich and powerful would now be able to silence any member dealing with any issue in order to keep the public in the dark.
This is really scary, all the more so since this Conservative Government has established a precedent by suing the Leader of the Opposition for what he said in the Cadman controversy. I wonder if these will be the new rules of the game. They will be the rules of the rich and powerful who have the means to hire squads of lawyers to sue anyone who might say or think something that would be against their interests. Because they have the money to hire lawyers, the rich will become powerful, if they are not already so.
During those testimonies, I was really astonished to see Mr. Mulroney's bunch of lawyers scrutinize everything we were saying or doing. Remember how many lawyers' letters we all received at the time. It was incredible. There were so many that at one time I told the researcher in the Leader's office that I would send him all those letters because I did not want to read them anymore. They were only aimed at distracting and intimidating us. I felt they wanted to intimidate us. When I learned that they wanted to sue Mr. Thibault, I thought that we would all be sued. I thought that would be part of their tactics.
You will understand that I cannot agree with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's interpretation. I cannot approve the new position that has been established. I believe that we must eradicate this interpretation immediately and move the debate to the House.
That is why I would like to amend Mr. Martin's motion. I would like to reinforce the fact that we will indeed report the matter to the House.
Therefore, I move that the motion be amended by adding the following at the beginning, before the word “That”
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2)...
That is all, Mr. Chair.