I'm going to tell you out loud what I was going to say to Mr. Perkins privately, because it's public knowledge now anyway. I would have said it no matter what.
I don't think it's just a motion calling for the production of documents and other things. It's not just the fact that we are requesting documents because we want documents and have the right to request them.
I understand that this is Mastercard, and I agree that it is hardly in dire straits. However, when we start acting this way, without reasonable grounds to assume that something untoward happened, what message are we sending to businesses that invest in our regions and negotiate with the government? Some companies negotiate with the provincial governments, with Quebec, with the federal government, and so on. What message are we sending businesses that we'd like to attract here? I think it's important to think about that. I am not defending anyone, but that's why I am skeptical.
Now, I understand that the Conservatives' reasoning is once again to say that obviously, after nine years in power, the Liberals never regulated the matter, they brought in this centre and they ended up going with an agreement rather than a law. We've heard so much from the Conservatives about “after nine years” that it's almost become a children's song with the refrain “After nine years, la la la”. However, where will it end?
I'll give you an example. Today, the federal government announced a cap on industrial emissions that involves a mechanism. I haven't read the policy on that yet. Now that the government has announced its intention to cap industrial emissions by 2030, is it necessary for the next five or six years to monitor all the subsidies granted to all emitting industries in Canada? Does that mean that, if industries receive a subsidy, we're going to put them on trial to find out whether they received the subsidy in exchange for some policy? Do you see what I mean?
When you cast such a wide net, at some point, it borders on conspiracy, and that's what I have a problem with. I think that if we want to force a company or the government to produce these kinds of document, I don't see where it will stop. If our bar for requesting documents is this low, why not request data on all businesses in Canada using some kind of omnibus measure? It would be simpler.
Perhaps I've misunderstood the Conservatives' intention, but at this point, I am not convinced that what is proposed in this motion is in the public interest. I am not convinced that it will stop there and that this is the only time this will happen. For the time being, my opinion remains unchanged.