Mr. Chair, I think perhaps I misspoke and did not communicate clearly, which is one of the things that happens occasionally to math-physics majors, but what I meant was that electoral contests in this country traditionally have been between the Liberals and the Conservatives as the two big front-running parties. That's what I meant, and then I proceeded immediately to say...not to minimize the important role that the NDP and the Bloc play in this, because they, being properly elected by their constituents, come to this House of Commons with full credentials as members of Parliament. I think they too have a responsibility in the issue that's before this committee now to ascertain that this committee is non-partisan in this particular regard, because we ought to be looking at what Elections Canada's rules are and whether the Chief Electoral Officer has been applying those rules in a non-partisan fashion.
That's why, Mr. Chair, I urge the members to support the amendment. And that amendment is to look beyond the 2006 election and include the 2004 election, for which records are readily available, which we could examine and find out whether or not the rules have been equitably applied across the two major parties, and then also, Mr. Chair, to include the Liberal Party explicitly. I contend that the original motion put forward in a very partisan fashion by the Liberals on this committee has targeted only one political party. To be non-partisan and to be fair and to give Canadians the assurance that not only is Elections Canada non-partisan, but the committee that oversees their work is in this regard also non-partisan, I urge members to include the Liberal Party also.
Now, I know it's a bit of an issue with the Liberals because they have had some major difficulties as well in using electoral rules, so they obviously want to resist that.
I'm trying to be very polite. I do not want to now become guilty of what I'm asking them not to do.
So I can see why they would probably, out of a political instinct, want to resist the amendment, but I think if they want to do themselves a favour--here I am being a counsellor to the Liberal Party--they can improve their electoral chances by showing Canadians they are able to act in a very fair way, and they will do that if they support this amendment.
Now, Mr. Chair, I obviously could speak for a long time beyond this, but what I would like to do is to give other members of the committee an opportunity to respond to the challenge I have laid out for them, and if they want to, they can engage me...we don't have questions and comments in committee generally, but I would certainly be willing to entertain that, if possible.
Thank you.