Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I do appreciate the time that Mr. Reid took to bring forward his point of order. I think he would have a point if we were asking the Speaker to interfere in a court proceeding or indeed insert the committee discussion in lieu of a court proceeding, but that's not what's happening.
Very clearly, under Standing Order 108(3)(a)(vi), this committee is permanently charged with the “review of and report on all matters relating to the election of Members to the House of Commons”. I would say that as much as this wording--and I would underscore that it says “allegations made”--does make some of my colleagues on the Conservative side uncomfortable, which may be fodder for another debate, this is in order.
I find it somewhat interesting that there is such an issue made of things being before the court when that didn't seem to be a problem for our Conservative colleagues in previous Parliaments. I think specifically of Mr. Radwanski and the fact that there was a fulsome debate around that despite the fact that there were court proceedings as well.
There are only two, to my knowledge, official agents who are named in the court case, and this takes a much broader view. I believe that it is an appropriate undertaking of this committee to look at the Canada Elections Act and suggest that amendments be made to it if there seems to be a systemic anomaly that has gone from Prince Edward Island to the west coast.
This isn't a one-off. This is something that is very appropriately dealt with by this committee. Notwithstanding Mr. Reid's hard work, I believe this is in order and that we should move forward on the motion to deal with this as outlined by the four members who submitted this appropriately to you, as chair.