Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Denis, I hope to get five questions answered from you, and I'll try to be as short and concise as possible.
I would like to ask about the oath of secrecy members of the Board of Internal Economy must swear, according to subsection 50(5) of the Parliament of Canada Act, which states the following:
Every member of the Board shall, as soon as practicable after becoming a member of the Board, take before the Clerk of the House of Commons an oath or affirmation of fidelity and secrecy in the form set out in Form 3 of the schedule.
Subsection 50(6) states:
For greater certainty, the oath or affirmation referred to in subsection (5) only relates to matters of security, employment and staff relations, tenders and investigations in relation to a member of the House of Commons....
We are, in fact, in favour of open meetings of the Board of Internal Economy, and my leader, in fact, has a bill to do just that.
Can you please tell the committee if the oath of fidelity and secrecy currently contained in the Parliament of Canada Act applies to the issue we are discussing today? It seems to fall under the rubric of investigation in relation to a member of the House of Commons.