Thank you, Chair.
Welcome once again, Commissioner.
Judging by the number of tanned MPs after this two-week break, and just as all MPs enjoy to travel.... When we read the Conflict of Interest Act, subsection 11(1) states:
No public office holder or member of his or her family shall accept any gift or other advantage, including from a trust, that might reasonably be seen to have been given to influence the public office holder in the exercise of an official power, duty or function.
A second part talks about forfeiture. You're not allowed to accept gifts of over $1,000 in value.
It also lists exceptions, and there are three types. One deals with the Canada Elections Act, so that would be donations during election campaigns. Family and friends are excepted, and also something that is a normal expression of courtesy or protocol. However, we allow unlimited acceptance of gifts of travel for MPs.
There seems to be a disconnect between the two. I believe the act has valid concerns that it addresses in section 11. It sets a very clear limit and it provides exceptions. Travel isn't one of those exceptions. You can't accept any gifts over $1,000, and it references why we should not accept gifts of over $1,000. It says it could be used to influence public office holders in their exercise of official power.
Now, when I check your report, I see that in one case one MP accepted almost $30,000 of trips. All we list are MPs; from what I can tell, we don't list the family members, spouses, and children who sometimes go on these trips. There just seems to be a gaping hole in how we approach this.
Do you have any comments?