No, Mr. Speaker, I do not agree. The standard of conduct that I and the motion asks for is one that is ingrained in the history of our democracy as it has developed.
We have a higher standard as public servants, both elected and appointed, than what people in the general populous of this country have.
Yes, if we go into a courtroom, a standard that my friend from Mississauga South is expressing, there is a presumption of innocence. However where we are at and the criteria and the standard that we are looking at for ourselves is a much higher one. It is one that says that we have more than enough evidence, whether it came from the Auditor General, the sworn testimony or from other witnesses. Those facts are enough at this point for the Liberals to say to the Canadian public that they believe so much of this money is tainted. I think Canadians believe and know the money is tainted.
Maybe at the end of the day some of the money will be returned by the Liberal Party but we need to set the standard high so that cynicism does not increase toward politicians and toward government. That is the standard we are working toward, not the one for our criminal courts.