Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have previously discussed the privacy implications of the website posting of previous political positions. Several agents of Parliament said they had concerns on this point because the declarations would really be online and accessible to everyone. I have already read these remarks by the Office of the Information Commissioner, but I am going to read them again because I find them even more relevant to the context of this amendment. They read as follows:
Declarations of past political positions raise privacy concerns in that it requires the disclosure of personal information without any nexus or connection between this disclosure and their ability to perform their functions.
We are obviously talking a little about redundancy here, but it is as though we had to post our CVs on the Internet. I am not even required to do that as a member. Yes, I discuss my experience on the Internet, but I do it willingly because I think it appropriate to tell my fellow citizens what I previously did. However, I think that asking agents of Parliament to put that kind of information online is going too far.
The purpose of my amendment is to ensure that this information does not have to be posted online and that it is provided in another way. That is what I am proposing. This is simply to address privacy concerns. There are consequences when you post information online. I do not think it is appropriate to require agents of Parliament to put their CVs online. As a result of their positions, they are not even entitled to hold partisan positions in any case. I believe we should consider the impact that situation would have on privacy.
That then is what I am proposing. I hope my colleagues will support it, but I believe it is already a lost cause. I have unfortunately lost my optimism.