Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
I should thank Mr. Boulerice for all the free advertising he is giving to the Albany Club today, because I'm a member there too. There you go.
Thank you, gentlemen, for coming today.
I think it's very important for this committee to hear the views of your organizations and the people you represent as to how this act has worked in its first five years. I think this is very helpful to us. We know that lobbying is a legitimate professional service. I think we all want to make sure we have some rules and some context around the Lobbying Act to make sure that it's done above board and properly and legally and fairly. So I appreciate your being here to help us in our study.
One of the areas the lobbying commissioner has perhaps recommended there be a change to--and I'd like your opinion on this--is whether she should have the authority to place a monetary penalty or some sort of an administrative penalty on someone who has breached the act, rather than having to refer it to the RCMP perhaps if it's not a criminal issue. How do you feel about that? Would it strengthen the act if she and her office could levy some sort of an administrative penalty instead of referring something to the RCMP? I think her view is that when there is a significant issue, her only recourse is to refer it to the RCMP. What's your view on that?