As I indicated earlier, Mr. Speaker, it is important that all the details of the Pearson deal be made public. I am not sure what vehicle should be used, but all the documents should be made public.
Mr. Nixon made some very strong comments but he did not go into the details. The details are necessary so we know for example exactly which lobbying firms in Ottawa were part of the deal and which individuals who are presently dealing with the Government of Canada partook in an activity Mr. Nixon found to be totally unacceptable. Public interest requires all those details to be made public. For that reason I support an inquiry.
The transport committee could conduct an inquiry. A three-month royal commission with a limited mandate and a limited budget could serve the same purpose. Or, Mr. Nixon who has already been involved in this matter could conduct the inquiry in an open fashion so that all the evidence could be heard and Canadians would know the exact details.
I do not think the decision or the desire to pay them compensation can be adequately discussed or debated unless we rely on the details presently available. As I said earlier based on the information I have and the statements made by Mr. Nixon, my conclusion is that there should be no compensation at all.
For future reference, given that we will be discussing an ethics package before Parliament, this deal could serve as a very strong example of how governments and lobbyists can harm the public interest in its deliberations and the type of activity that ought to be avoided.