Mr. Speaker, some members of the public accounts committee have just returned from Washington, D.C. after meeting with officials of the U.S. government, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank. The discussions were about increasing government's transparency and accountability and about supporting parliamentarians working to make their governments accountable to their people.
There is a great desire for governments to do what they were elected to do and to spend taxpayer money for the greater good of all the people. Our government in Canada, however, does not seem to share this desire for transparency and accountability. In fact, the treasury board is now gathering its resources to further limit the flow of information to parliament in the name of increased efficiency. We all want efficiency, but not at the expense of democracy and a fully accountable government.
I call on the Government of Canada to listen to those who know from firsthand experience the need for open and accountable government. Canada belongs to all its citizens, not the government. Give the people this respect.