Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak in support of the reasoned, intelligent proposals and amendments being put forward by my hon. colleague from Elk Island.
Let us take a look at some of the situations being proposed by these amendments. First, we are talking about adding the names of everyone that the lobbyists attempt to influence to the list of the disclosure requirements. Quite simply, if a lobbyist is paid handsomely to achieve a desired goal, to win a contract, or whatever the case may be, we want to know whether that person has access to the minister, to the deputy minister or whether he is talking to the individual directors. We want to know to whom he is talking. Unfortunately the vast majority of Canadians do not have that kind of access to people at the decision making level.
I cannot understand why the government is opposed to this type of motion. It seems perfectly clear to me and to the Reform caucus that we want to know who is being lobbied by these high priced lobbyists. They have unlimited expense accounts. They can wine, they can dine and they can go on trips. They have money to acquire information. That is what a lobbyist does. All Canadians want to know how the money is being spent to try to win influence from a particular person.
I spoke earlier about the book On the Take . I would hope that nobody else is on the take from that point forward but we can never be sure. One story after another in that book is of people on the take, from riding presidents, to political hacks, to past employees, to friends, to the Mafia, you name it. They were all in it and they were all running around Parliament Hill rubbing shoulders, buying favours and currying attention that they were getting on many occasions.
When Canadians read that book and realize what has been going on they are shocked to the core that these types of things can go on in a democratic system such as Canada's. We are proud of our system. The system has to be opened up so we can see what is going on, so we can ensure that when these backroom deals, which benefit nobody except one or two people, are ferreted out, these people are held to account. It has to be prevented from happening again.
If we are going to hold our heads high in government, one thing that we want to be able to ensure is that all Canadians have faith in the system. That is what we are trying to do with these motions.
How about the motion to which the member for Broadview-Greenwood is so adamantly opposed? We are asking that lobbyists be required to report previous government or political employment, executive positions with a political party and if they have made a political contribution over $1,000.
That does not seem to be an onerous requirement, yet he is totally and adamantly opposed. He says it will discourage people from getting involved in the political process. That is exactly what we want to say. When people are no longer sitting in the House, the day after they are defeated, we do not want them involved in the political process.
After they have been defeated or have retired from politics we do not want to see them back on Parliament Hill talking to their friends and other people they know, saying: "I am now getting paid a large amount of money by some corporation to win influence from my friends with whom I used to work".
I cannot understand why the member for Broadview-Greenwood would be so adamantly opposed to such a situation. He has been around since 1980. He just said that a few minutes ago. That is 15 years he has been in the House.