Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their great generosity.
I simply want to say that the government is using the specious reasoning that too many employees would be needed to implement a more independent system of appointing returning officers, a system that would ensure that returning officers were appointed independently, following an administrative competition to establish their objectivity, impartiality and qualifications.
The government claims that it would take far too many people to implement such a system. The chief electoral officer himself said that such a system would require two people at most.
Once again, I respectfully submit to members of this House that introducing such a system is not too complicated, and that it is being strongly urged by the chief electoral officer, who wants to be able to appoint returning officers and to demote them when it is very clear that they are not qualified to do their job.
I urge all members to vote in favour of provisions designed to ensure that returning officers are appointed in an impartial and independent manner.