I think the problem with that principle, and the distinction between an MP's role representing their constituents and an MP's role as a minister or a parliamentary assistant or minister of state, is, again, the public has difficulty distinguishing between those roles. They rightly see a person who represents a constituency, a geographic constituency, a riding, who also happens to be the minister with responsibility for a particular portfolio. I don't think that the problem is cured by a minister signing something as an MP instead of as a minister. In some ways it might be beneficial to MPs if they were able to just say to their constituents, “You know what, I'm sorry, I really would like to help you, but I can't. I'm prohibited by law from doing this.”
I think that probably most MPs know that writing a letter on behalf of a constituent to a quasi-judicial...or certainly in a court proceeding is likely not going to have much impact, if any. In some ways it could get MPs off the hook from that.
I would favour probably a broader prohibition than even the one that exists now in the accountable government.