Mr. Speaker, because I get correspondence from people who watch CPAC and people who read Hansard , I know there will be people who will hear some of those suggestions. There are a number of things.
I would ask those watching the debate or reading Hansard to recognize some of the comments and other objections we made, such as the wide ownership rule. I did not get an opportunity to address it in my speech, but perhaps the single most important thing that this bill will allow is a concentration of ownership in the banks.
There was an initiative from Lester Pearson's government to prohibit any one particular group from owning, operating and directing banks because, as has been said by a Liberal leader, once we lose control of our economic house, we lose control of our sovereignty. It speaks to how far that party has moved to the right, away from what were once core Liberal values, that the initiatives of Lester Pearson ensuring that only 10% of a bank could be owned by any one individual are being expanded. It talks about how far to the right the Liberal Party has moved in its efforts, I suppose, to compete with the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party.
For people who are concerned about rural banking in their communities, who are concerned about foreign ownership of Canadian banks, I would urge that they write to their members of parliament. That is a legitimate course. Every so often I send out correspondence with cards that people can check and send back to me. People should organize petitions. They should telephone the office of their local member of parliament. That is the way direct democracy can happen.
Once people understand that we are moving in a direction where the wide ownership rule is being narrowed, for example, as has been said by the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle, one, two or three wealthy individuals or organizations might be able to take control of what are now Canadian institutions and control the banking, I think people will respond by writing to and phoning their members of parliament.
It is interesting that the member for Vancouver East identified the dinner that the Canadian Alliance leader is hosting where people are paying $25,000 a plate.