I agree absolutely that it should be an independent commissioner of ethics who does not serve at the pleasure of and is not appointed by the Prime Minister.
I would go further on the ethics screen. I would say that at this point, Canadians have lost some confidence in integrity and transparency in Ottawa. The simple solution here is full divestiture of prior investments.
Some will say that's not practical, but in my opinion what is not practical is that the Clerk of the Privy Council, with their many different functions, would be the one responsible for day-to-day knowledge of whether there's a clear conflict or a second- or third-order conflict.
The world is becoming more complex, not less. The world is becoming more hostile in terms of outside powers that are not friendly to Canada seeking influence in Ottawa.
I would agree with the member that it needs to be independent and that fewer legal regulations need to be put in. The current system is not enough.