Mr. Speaker, I always appreciate being buttered up before giving a response.
I am glad the member asked this question. The Leader of the Opposition would be happy to take a briefing. He would be happy to take the same kind of briefing that The Washington Post received from the government. It appears the government selectively gives briefings to whoever it thinks can benefit it the most politically. It is quite odd.
A very interesting fact was made known to me recently, which is that, when the leader of the official opposition was in government, he received those security clearances, and they had to be renewed every two years. In 2019, the Liberal government changed the rules so that ministers of cabinet do not have to receive regular two-year updates to their security clearances, so members of the Liberal cabinet have not been vetted for national security for the past five years.
I agree the Prime Minister has the right, as the head of government and as Prime Minister, to have access to classified information. It should not be subject to whether he can get a top secret security clearance, but he has not received a top secret security clearance.