Thanks, Madam Chair.
I wanted to weigh in on this important discussion as well. I appreciated all of the comments made by colleagues.
I take this matter very seriously. I take the allegations that are circulating in the media very seriously. I think we all really need to see this as a non-partisan issue and approach it in, I think, a very good-faith attempt to understand how we can continue to evolve the ecosystem our government has put in place as clearly documented by Morris Rosenberg's report, which I think really puts substance to some of the questions I had. I took the time to read that last night. I found it very enlightening as to how much has actually been done.
I think our focus really needs to be on how we evolve the ecosystem to keep up with the emerging and evolving threat environment. I think we've heard from security and intelligence professionals that this is really their concern. I think there are some good recommendations that this committee could make. I think what started with—I thought, anyway—a very good-faith attempt on all parties' sake to really undertake this work has now really shifted. I'm really uncomfortable with this shift. It's become about a partisan attack on the Prime Minister and a partisan attack on one of our MPs. I realize that there are allegations. We heard in testimony today—it was very clear early—that no investigation is under way by the RCMP. To me, this points to questions as to whether those allegations are true or not.
When I look at this motion, I think we should really be approaching it with a good-faith attempt to try to improve our democratic institutions and the ecosystem that really is necessary with a multiplicity of strategies that help reduce threats to our democratic institutions.
With all that said, I have very specific concerns in relation to the motion that Mr. Cooper put forward. Perhaps instead of going through all of those, I'll just introduce an amendment. I have an amendment here that I've drafted and I would like to put forward.
I'll read that into the record, Madam Chair, as follows:
That the motion be amended by deleting paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), and replacing the words in paragraph (f) with the following “the committee order the production of all memoranda, briefing notes, and any other relevant documents, which are in the possession of government departments or agencies containing information concerning efforts by, or on behalf of, foreign governments or other foreign state actors to interfere in the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2021 general elections, provided that—