Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely in favour of a level playing field, but I thought that what I had addressed was the point that I do not think it is a level playing field with respect to the ability to take out loans in the manner that has been presented in this legislation.
I think the emphasis should be on the reporting and the consequences if loans are not paid back. If there is a transparency with respect to who has loaned the money and the terms within which that must be paid back, why does it matter where it comes from if it is reported and on the record?
If that were the approach, with the emphasis on that, then I would think that through a consequential approach we would have a level playing field. I may be wrong, but at the end of the day I think that this is going to be a disincentive because it is not a level playing field for that very reason.
I believe that people should have the capacity to support the democratic process, and not with anything in mind that there would be some advantage sought from it. When they loan, if it is on the public record and it has to be paid back, why should it matter whether they are going to support a Conservative candidate, a Liberal candidate, the NDP or the Bloc?
The fact is that everyone knows and it is on the record that the money has been taken out, there is a cap on it and it has to be paid back. That is what the public wants to know.