Information & Ethics committee  That's why there's an inflation adjustment variable in the Canada Elections Act that actually allows for that. It used to be $1,500. Now it's a little bit more.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't know if it will deal with the lobbying issue, but I certainly think it will talk about access to meaningfully participate in the electoral process. It was a political decision. There are different philosophies about how public financing should happen. If you make a contribution, you're eligible for a tax receipt.

Information & Ethics committee  I'm going to flip the question around and state that the Supreme Court of Canada says that you and I have the right to meaningfully participate in the democratic process. In the case of Mr. Figueroa, he was a communist, and he wasn't getting a lot of money—yes, I figured that would be what would happen—

Information & Ethics committee  He wasn't getting any money under the per-vote subsidy because of the rules that applied to the number of parties that had to be filed. So he advanced his constitutional right under section 3 and said that money is what's going to allow you to meaningfully participate in the process by learning more about his party, the Communist Party of Canada.

Information & Ethics committee  I would just use the things that we use to distinguish them right now, such as their rank—EX-4, -5, -6 or whatever—their pay and their length of service. Right now most of the designated public office holders are banned from lobbying for longer than they served. That seems a little off.

Information & Ethics committee  It depends on your test. Mr. Conacher is 100% correct when he says the U.S. system has different and more stringent disclosure laws. Their lobbying system is run by the IRS. They have a different set of resources from the lobbying commissioner, who I think has 30 employees. I can't remember exactly what it is.

Information & Ethics committee  First of all, I am glad I have one follower. That's spectacular.

Information & Ethics committee  Mr. Conacher has offered these hypotheticals. He thinks that these things could be happening. He has offered no evidence of any of it happening. We know that there are people who have said that they are not going to go knock on doors because they think it will limit their ability to be a lobbyist in the future.

Information & Ethics committee  I think the first thing is that we shouldn't be providing a laundry list of examples of things that we have talked about anecdotally that are real, basic political engagement. If the test is that you shouldn't lobby the people who owe their job to you, we know what those rules are.

Information & Ethics committee  As it applies to the law, the gold standard is Canada.

Information & Ethics committee  I honestly think that to be the case. There might be a few state or provincial programs around the world that are a little more narrow. There are some municipal programs that—

Information & Ethics committee  You tell me which one is better and I'll—

Information & Ethics committee  Toronto is not a country.

Information & Ethics committee  I have it right here. It's “distributing or disseminating campaign materials”. That includes signs, right?

Information & Ethics committee  Again, you all are the elected officials. You will know what will influence you and what will not. I know your Outlook calendars look like a diaspora of colour because you have so many meetings. If you did not have food at these receptions, you probably wouldn't eat, which.... That's bad.