Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Let me begin by thanking Mr. Cooper for joining us virtually. I also thank him for the work he has done for many years as an investigative journalist.
In any democracy, journalists obviously play an essential role of asking questions, which can be tough questions. They also serve to encourage public debate and contribute to the transparency of our institutions. Those contributions deserve to be recognized. Thank you for that, Mr. Cooper.
Our committee has a certain responsibility of its own that complements the media's responsibility. It's responsible for examining issues from a legislative perspective, a perspective based on verified facts. Of course, it relies on existing rules and our country's institutional framework.
Our role differs from that of a journalist, then, but it's just as important. Our job is to diligently put things into perspective and listen to what people have to say, as we're doing today. Our role is also to ensure a balance between vigilance and trust in our institutions.
Today, I think it's useful to distinguish between documented findings and much broader interpretations that are sometimes found in the public sphere.
You're a journalist, and journalists, by nature, explore avenues, raise possibilities and stimulate the collective thinking of Canadians. However, our task here is to go beyond perceptions to better understand how ethics-related mechanisms, first of all, and transparency-related mechanisms actually work and to determine how we can strengthen them.
Mr. Cooper, you know that Canada has strong instruments. It implemented a Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, a Commissioner of Lobbying, disclosure and accountability obligations and a legislative framework that continues to evolve. Those tools aren't perfect. No system is, anyway, whether within the OECD or elsewhere. A witness said earlier that Canada was in the top quartile. We aren't the best, and that isn't perfect. However, that still reflects a continuing commitment to public integrity and trust.
I believe that our committee can play a constructive role, not by looking for culprits or controversies, but by ensuring that the rules remain clear, relevant to current realities and understood by everyone. In that sense, your testimony, Mr. Cooper, is helpful. It reminds us of the importance of transparency and dialogue between the media, civil society and public institutions. The best service we can deliver to Canadians and Canadian democracy is to listen to you. Our goals are to listen to all voices with respect, look at the facts thoroughly and work together to build public trust. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
That said, it's important to remember that journalistic work, as commendable and important as it is, doesn't always benefit from the same verification standards as parliamentary or judicial inquiries. When based on anonymous sources or partial corroboration, some statements can give an impression of truth, a perception, without providing complete proof.
When it comes to your work, Mr. Cooper, a number of observers have noted—it wasn't me who noted this, since I'm not an expert in the field—that some of the conclusions are based more on interpretive assumptions than on evidence that we, as legislators, would prefer to be irrefutable.
That in no way detracts from the value of your commitment, but it underscores the need for us, as parliamentarians, to put those analyses back into their proper context, which is a context of media debate. The research is commendable, but impact can sometimes take precedence over factual rigour. That's true for all media, not just yours.
I think it's also important to guard against the temptation to draw simplistic and political conclusions from piecemeal reporting. Our responsibility here isn't to react to the headlines of the day, but to build a sustainable policy based on verified facts and a comprehensive understanding of the legal framework.
Mr. Cooper, you've written extensively on the issues of interference and transparency.
In the public sphere, how do you feel can we better reconcile journalistic freedom—which I defend with all my heart and soul—and the need not to undermine Canadians' trust in our institutions?
