Madam Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to ask the hon. member from the Bloc Québécois a couple of questions, although my colleague, the finance critic in the New Democratic Party caucus will be speaking more broadly in the debate on Bill C-57, an act to amend certain acts in relation to financial institutions.
The couple of questions I want to put to the member arise out of some of the concerns I have about the gap between the rhetoric we have heard from Liberal members, the parliamentary secretary and the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, and the actions. The rhetoric that has accompanied the introduction of the bill is along the lines that this is about greater efficiency, more responsible use of taxpayer dollars, greater dollars and transparency and ensuring that every taxpayer dollar is protected. Yet when one looks at what we are dealing with, and this is the government's explanation and not some partisan twist on what we see before us, the act is about is making changes to the corporate government's framework of banks, insurance companies, et cetera to bring them into line with the changes to the Canada Business Corporations Act for business corporations. These changes were adopted in 2001.
When it comes to efficiency, if we are to believe that the bill before us is so incredibly important and great results will flow to taxpayers of Canada from it, one has to ask about the inefficiency of waiting four years before the bill was brought forward. No wonder we have some strains on the public purse, and that is even before we get to the Dingwalls and all the other things that are the subject of the Gomery inquiry, et cetera.
First, does the member share that concern? Does he not think there probably were other priorities for tax dollars, which apparently have not been protected during these four years while the government delayed?
Second, in the same sort of context of efficiency, of the government moving quickly to address these matters, one has to be concerned. The New Democratic Party very much shares a concern, and it is not just about our colleague from Ottawa Centre who was a major architect of the important work done.
The Canadian Democracy and Corporate Accountability Commission addressed many of the same kinds of issues, and it has been sitting gathering dust for a long time. The former New Democratic Party leader, who now sits in the House and provides very distinguished leadership, was the co-chair of that commission. Again, many of these recommendations have yet to be introduced which certainly raises in our mind concerns about how efficient and effective the government is in moving on these important issues. Could the member indicate if he shares some of those concerns?