Mr. Speaker, I think the House would agree that the issue the opposition has raised today is an important question to address for all Canadians.
I remember some years ago someone told me that the role of the opposition was to deliver blows that would tenderize a turtle. We do have a presumption of telling the truth in this place. In the motion the corruption allegation refers to the federal political system. However the record will show that the questions of the opposition have always referred the 69% to the Liberal government, not to the federal political system. This is part of the opposition spin.
Members of parliament come to this place to represent the companies and constituents of their area and lobby very fiercely. In fact the member for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast recently wrote to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services to praise the sponsorship program and to ask sincerely for support for a donation or a sponsorship in his own riding. We understand that is part of the process.
We also have allegations of kickbacks. Yet all members well know that the political donation system is an open and transparent system and there is a public record that shows everyone who has given any money to the public system.
With those examples as backdrop of how we have the presumption of telling the truth in this place, we also have to have the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Will the member please rise in his place and say that he respects those principles?