In terms of accountability to the electorate, to the public, it lies in the evolution. If Parliament isn't able to adapt and align with the future of work in Canada and with the way the rest of the world is looking to conduct work, there lies a lack of accountability within that reluctance.
It's important for us to remember that Parliament Hill is not a static institution. It has adapted before to the changing needs of the country and to technology. We saw this during the Second World War and with the advent of more affordable air travel. It's that evolution that has the accountability baked into it.
To be certain, in-person interactions are valuable and critical, and we're talking about combining the two. The alternative here is that if we remove virtual completely, it's in person or nothing. This option is about in person and something.
With the increasing normalization and socialization of how we use technologies like Zoom today, it has become more immediate and human in the way we're able to speak and communicate with each other. We've seen this in our exit interviews with MPs. This is the first time we've done.... Over the last few months, we've been working on our third iteration of this study, and all of our interviews have been on Zoom. We take care to establish a rapport and an atmosphere that enables our respondents to feel comfortable being forthcoming and sharing their lived experiences with us. There are ways to draw from that in professional contexts.