I'll be glad to do that. I'll offer up one of our spots to one of the independents.
Then at the business time I'd like to move a motion to make that permanent for the continuing study here, because the one thing that's not here in this process is fairness. Fairness dictates that the people who are in the House of Commons who don't belong to a political party should have an opportunity to have input here. We're going to move that motion and, yes, I will relinquish one of my speaking spots so they can do that today.
I want to move now directly, Mr. Mayrand, to the comments you made. I quote from page 8 of your brief where you say:
...it is striking when looking at provincial regimes that we remain the only jurisdiction in Canada—
—meaning the federal jurisdiction—
—where political parties are not required to produce supporting documentation for their reported expenses. At every election, parties receive $33 million in reimbursements without showing a single invoice to support their claims. This anomaly should be corrected, as I have indicated in the past (and as was recognized by a motion in the House of Commons).
In March 2012, two years ago, I moved the following motion and it was supported unanimously by the House:
That, in the opinion of the House, the government should, within six months, table amendments to the Elections Canada Act and other legislation as required that would ensure that in all future election campaigns: (a) Elections Canada investigation capabilities be strengthened, to include giving the Chief Electoral Officer the power to request all necessary documents from political parties to ensure compliance with the Elections Act....
That was supported unanimously by the government. They're over a year and a half late with their legislation and, to the best of my knowledge, that power is still not in here.
As I understand this, sir, and correct me if I am wrong, all parties, including my own, submit 33 million dollars' worth of claims for taxpayers' money and they don't have to provide any documentation and you can't make them provide that documentation, and that power which the government agreed in a motion to say they would include in a bill is not in here.
Do I have it correct, sir?