Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think there's merit in as much transparency as possible, but the transparency has to include not just dollar contributions. It has to include particularly contributions in kind, manpower contributions, which are often made by interest groups, labour unions, and companies. So I

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I agree with you that if these efforts by Elections Canada or the elections offices in the provinces to increase participation simply consist of advertising campaigns and urging the obvious that people don't respond to, if that's all they can do, then that is insufficient. I thin

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Well, it would have the tools that are given to independent election observers in other countries.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I can just repeat what I said before. My angle on that division is more trying to enable the Chief Electoral Officer to focus solely on the administrative aspects of the election. I don't see the big problem in making the separation that others do. Frankly, I don't think it's a

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, I think there is some merit to that, but I don't think that's the sole or the main way of dealing with these election abuses. One of the things that concerns me.... Any of us who are elected people have heard rumour and rumour after rumour about people doing things—borderl

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think there's a contract that says I am, but I haven't gotten a cheque and I haven't sent a bill. I have only participated, really, in one teleconference. It would be my intention not to bill Elections Canada for whatever advice I could provide. On your question, I came at it

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you first of all for this opportunity. I should make clear that I'm speaking solely on my own behalf and on behalf of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy. I'm not speaking on behalf of the advisory committee to the Chief Electoral Officer of which I'm a member. I want