Thank you.
Good morning, Ms. Shepherd. Thank you for coming to make this presentation on your annual report. I would like to ask you a few questions.
In your presentation, you said that under the act you now have expanded powers. You referred to at least three of those powers. Regarding the first, you said: “These include: the extension of the period during which possible summary conviction infractions may be prosecuted”. I would first like to know what the nature of that extension is.
Second, you talk about the doubling of monetary penalties. I would like you to give us more details on that subject.
And third, you talk about the fact that you “may conduct investigations in order to ensure compliance with the Lobbying Act as well as the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct”. You have the power to conduct investigations. There was a time when you could do that if you had “reasonable grounds to believe”, but now it is “reason to believe”. I would like you to explain what the distinction is between the two wordings.