Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. member for his clear presentation. I think that he knows the issue quite well-that is pretty obvious.
I would like him to tell us what effect it will have on the people of Quebec and Canada not to hold a public inquiry in a situation like that, if, as it seems very clear, there were many underhanded dealings in this case, many people who took advantage of the over-representation by lobbyists and the questionable lobbying practices.
So I would like to know from him what he thinks the impact on the public and on the future of the present Liberal government would be if we were led to believe that it is a free-for-all and that we will continue to operate with the same kind of system, and at the same time, what message does it send to those who are not part of this wonderful system where special contacts and having friends in the right places are what counts.
For ordinary people who are caught in the current economic bind, with all the attendant difficulties, and who are being hit with an increase in the number of weeks needed to qualify for unemployment insurance, for example, what message does it send when a whole government tolerates such situations and would let them be by not holding a public inquiry that could clarify matters?