This is an important point. It's one of the reasons it's essential to place this legislation in the context of broader electoral and democratic reform. For instance, in the last election there were some things that could have been seen as pre-election activities—economic statements, mini-budgets, and that kind of thing. This is something we need to keep a close eye on. There needs to be a broader democratic agenda around all the things that have been put forward. We also have to be constantly vigilant, whether this legislation passes or not. The government always has this ability. It's incumbent on all of us to be vigilant, to make sure that governments don't abuse their power to control the public purse, make announcements, advertise, and engage in election-type touring.
On October 3rd, 2006. See this statement in context.