Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The original motion suggested that we discuss allegations of systematic attempts on the part of the Conservative Party of Canada to defraud Elections Canada and Canadian taxpayers in connection with the 2006 electoral campaign. During the previous meetings on Monday and Tuesday there were all sorts of dilatory tactics and attempts to delay proceedings and to prevent us from discussing that motion. You will certainly recall that an amendment was tabled by our Conservative Party colleagues in an attempt to cloud the issue and weaken this motion. It was debated at length and the outcome was that the amendment was defeated. So we are now discussing the original motion.
Mr. Chairman, the original motion is the result of allegations made against the Conservative Party. I should perhaps say, rather, that they were brought against certain individuals in the Conservative Party who are reputed to have used a method known as the in-and-out method to transfer money from the Conservative Party of Canada—the national party—to riding associations, and to then... As my colleague Mr. Guimond said during previous meetings, the transfer of funds from a national party to a riding association is a process approved by Elections Canada and by the Canada Elections Act. However, according to these allegations that money from the ridings was used to pay expenses incurred by the Conservative Party of Canada—the national party—which allowed it to exceed the spending limits set by the Canada Elections Act.
I think, Mr. Chairman, that it would be entirely appropriate to examine those allegations. To give you a context and to help you understand why this study is so important, I will give you the name of a few witnesses who could be invited to testify before the committee. Among the array of witnesses we could call, I am thinking in particular of Ms. Sylvie Boucher, a Conservative member elected in 2006 in the riding of Beauport—Limoilou in Quebec. Ms. Boucher enjoys great credibility, I am sure of it.