Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think we've heard a great deal of technical and fairly complicated testimony and very useful information today, but I think it's useful at this point in our study to reflect on the idea that one of the main purposes and tenets of our Elections Act is to take big money out of politics, to take away any unfair competitive advantage that the one with the biggest purse might hold in an election campaign, and to create a level playing field.
You, Mr. Mayrand, pointed out that it's your duty to ensure such a level playing field exists. I for one, on behalf of the Canadians I present in the riding of Winnipeg Centre, want to thank you personally for the diligence with which you've undertaken this study and the application of the act to create that level playing field. I think you're to be complimented.
I also feel that the reference to the commissioner was eminently justified, given the affidavit that we've read and the information that keeps surfacing. I believe the commissioner was correct in raiding the headquarters of the Conservative Party, if in fact he wasn't getting the cooperation that he should have been getting in asking for documentation and answers to the questions he was putting to the Conservative Party. If the allegations are true in the affidavit, then one party hijacked the 39th election, the 2006 election, because they had a fatter cheque book. Everybody knew they were sitting on stacks and stacks of money, more money than they could legally spend, so some of us believe they created a scheme whereby they could spend greater than their limits. You saw it as your duty to investigate this diligently, and I, on behalf of the people I represent, thank you for it.
That's all I have to say. I'm going to hand the floor over to my colleague.