Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  The law that in fact I believe this member voted for is being followed to the letter by the Liberal Party of Canada. And I assume, were any other party to have a leadership convention, it would be followed by them, too, in the administration of a leadership contest. The law is being respected; the law is being upheld.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I would not, no. I think it's important that family members, for example, be allowed to support in that way. But let me say in concluding, Mr. Chair, on this issue, that in terms of spreading the accountability around, I would like to know...for example, in the year 2000, when we talk about money laundering, where Mr.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Well, Mr. Chair, with respect--

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I believe René Lévesque's act on the financing of political parties was a model. It definitely was a model for Bill C-24, but it was also a model for the act in my province, New Brunswick, which was passed by Mr. Hatfield's government in 1982. That act, which is based on that of the Province of Quebec, provided for a limit—a very reasonable one, in my view—that still stands, although it has been indexed.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Like my colleague's party's activities, all of our activities have been funded by small donors under the $5,000 cap and the taxpayers' money as foreseen under Bill C-24 as well—lest a faulty impression be created by the comments of my friend. On negative advertising, I don't know that you can ever limit the freedom of expression of a political party, nor, I think, can you limit your observation, Mr.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will attempt to be brief. If this committee was to pursue a lower limit of $1,000, or any other limit, there is an important facet in the area of party conventions. We all have party conventions; party conventions are a good thing. They draw people from across the country.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  All right. I can repeat it in English.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Let me conclude, and I'll come back to that in a second. In any event, when looking at contribution limits, conventions cannot be ignored. I do not think that donors should be disenfranchised from attending conventions. The second thing to contemplate is the possibility of two elections in one year.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Mr. Chairman, committee members, thank you for inviting us to appear before you today. I join with my colleague in offering my thanks, but I must say, however, that, in my view, a change as extensive and radical for the political parties as this one deserves more than a five-minute speech to stakeholders who are also affected by this situation.