Mr. Chair, this is a very reasonable amendment. I hope all members will be able to support it. It's a transparency amendment. I will read it to make sure that everyone is on the same page on this amendment:
The Minister of Finance must, at the end of each fiscal year, prepare a report setting out the payments which were made to the Bank out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund during the previous fiscal year as well as the purpose of each payment and must cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is made.
It's very simple. It's to have the Minister of Finance, after each year, table a report saying what the payment amount to the bank was and for which projects was the money used. It is very reasonable. It will give Canadians transparency over their own money. Canadians pay tax every day. They expect the government to be responsible with their money.
We are in front of a fait accompli that government will go ahead with this investment in the Asian bank. The main thing they should do is at least provide transparency over the money that is spent by this bank and over which projects were financed.
I ask every member to support that amendment. It's very simple. It doesn't impede the government from going ahead with this project, but at least Canadians will see where their money went. It's not the government's money. It's Canadians' money. As I've said before, I don't think it's the best way to spend Canadians' money, but if the government decides to do so, at least please be transparent and provide Canadians with the details of that spending.
I hope I have the support of every member.