Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think it's important to understand what we've heard this morning, through the testimony.
We now have confirmation, after several rounds of questions, that the NDP were invited to...and provided briefings by the Liberals in advance of proposed changes to Canada's election laws. I can clarify: I'm pretty sure Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois were not invited to those briefings. Canadians should be very surprised, stunned, by the fact that we have two political parties that were denied the possibility of working behind the scenes, at first. Then we found out they were provided information briefings. We're going to find out who was at those meetings and when they took place.
It's completely unacceptable, now, for the NDP to say there are problematic parts of the bill. This proves what we heard this morning: They were absolutely complicit and aware, and they agreed to the bill proposed—specifically, changing the election date, which did nothing more than preserve their pensions. The NDP leader is going to get his pension in January or February of 2025. That's why he doesn't want to have an election now. The NDP complain that it's problematic. It's problematic for the NDP now only because they got caught this morning. They were fully aware of what was happening. They knew what was in the bill. It is only because of the backlash they rightfully got from Canadians that, all of a sudden, they now deem this problematic.
The other part that I think was important to learn this morning is the rationale for the date change and the arguments that were made. I'm trying to understand what the rationale is. The date had to be moved back a week, to October 27. It couldn't be moved ahead. It had to be moved back so it wouldn't conflict with a cultural event—Diwali. Instead, it now conflicts with a territorial election. However, here's the interesting thing: You didn't want to move it ahead to conflict with or “break into the summer”. That was the line given, yet the Prime Minister had no problem calling an election in the middle of August 2021, when it seemed opportunistic and advantageous for him.
This morning, we heard all the reasons...and confirmation that the NDP were in on this all along. Second, the rationale the Liberals and the NDP are desperately trying to spin away was exposed. The date was moved not for any cultural event. It was moved for purely political purposes, in terms of pension protection for the Liberals and NDP.
Look, Conservatives want an election now. I'm not worried about my pension or anybody else's pension. I'm worried about Canadians. I think what we've seen today is confirmation. There were many opportunities for some sort of clarification or rationale. It remains crystal clear. The cynical attempt by the Liberals and NDP to protect their pensions and claim something else.... That just disintegrated at this committee this morning.
That's all I have.