Yes, I will speak to the amendment, and I would also like to respond to Mr. Thériault.
I agree that, when someone wants to become a member of Parliament, they have to apply—in other words, run for office, and earn people's trust. However, the door must be open to everyone, especially people who have the required skills. Fundamentally, I believe that we shouldn't create barriers that prevent people from entering politics, and that's where Mr. Thériault and I disagree. We have to encourage people to enter politics, and that means not creating barriers, as was done for visible minorities and feminist movements. It's very important. Maintaining these barriers will prevent us from accessing the skills of people who have proven themselves in the private sector. The reason I don't agree with Mr. Thériault is that, by leaving this element in, we are creating constraints and barriers and depriving ourselves of skills that could serve the public interest.
Concerning the actual amendment, the reason our party is so keen on it is not because we want to favour the private sector; it's just to make room for people who have experience and expertise. Right now, these people are aware that coming here could harm their future or they could be singled out, as we see in this kind of a motion.