Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Sauvé and Dr. Turnbull, for being here.
Dr. Turnbull, in a recent publication, you said this about the Leader of the Opposition and the recent by-election in Battle River—Crowfoot:
Mr. Poilievre has called these actions [of the longest ballot committee] a “scam” and a “blatant abuse” of electoral democracy. He’s right.
You agreed with him.
The Longest Ballot Committee’s ballot-hijacking has no democratic value, serves no public purpose, and stands no chance of setting up a serious conversation about electoral reform.
You say in that article, as you were saying today, that even though you might be disturbed by their actions, you don't think it should compel us to change the rules.
Now, I might be convinced by that if the actions of the longest ballot committee were leading to an intelligent conversation about electoral reform, but they're not. We heard Mr. Szuchewycz earlier today acknowledge here that what they were doing was a political prank. He was even proud that at least one candidate got zero votes. These people are not serious. It is not leading to a serious conversation.
Why wouldn't we counter this belligerence and obstinacy and political prank-making?