Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member across the way for his question and his commentary. I know that this is an issue very near and dear to his heart. I do agree that this is certainly not a simple issue. There are many facets and many levels to it.
The hon. member is correct to point out in the latter part of his discourse that there is a lot of export from this country. I was very aware as a crown prosecutor of a number of auto thefts where great numbers of vehicles were being stolen and sent abroad, sent to Europe, very expensive vehicles that were getting on to the ports, getting on to ships and away they went.
This again highlights the need for international co-operation of which I know the hon. member is very aware. The element of transparency and the element of cutting off the flow of money and the flow of resources to those who engage in this activity are what is needed.
I take very much to heart and am very encouraged by his own critique of the failings of his own government members in this regard. They have every opportunity to do that. This is the government's sole responsibility. They have to be the legislative initiators in this instances.
For example there is legislation in the United States, the RICO act which talks about racketeering, influence and corrupt organizations. This type of legislation is exactly what is needed in this country. I know this is something of which the minister is aware, has heard much and probably read much about. I am encouraged to see that both the solicitor general and the Minister of Justice are here ready to take part in this debate. We look forward to hearing from them about what initiatives we are going to hear.
With respect to this international co-operation that we must have, surely we will not hear that it involves having a computer system that can be accessed the way the situation arose over the summer where there was a trap door left open and even our allies could get in to see the way that we were approaching organized crime. I hope we will not hear that as the answer.
Information sharing is one thing but leaving the door open so that everyone knows what we are doing, including organized crime, including those who engage in that type of activity, is another. Because it is very sophisticated and very high tech they have the ability to find out what the government may be planning to do before it does it.
I hope there will be safeguards in place to deal with the computer system that was extremely vulnerable and left us, I would suggest, with our pants down looking very embarrassed before our allies in this regard.
We look forward to hearing further from members opposite, from the government and from all other members of the House about this very serious and very compelling issue.