Information & Ethics committee  There is, possibly in the exchanges with the questioners, but not from my de novo testimony.

Information & Ethics committee  I know first-hand of anecdotal examples where exactly that has happened, where people wanted to participate and chose not to for fear of something happening to them on a pecuniary basis in the future. The obverse also happens. That places a limit on the skill that public servant

Information & Ethics committee  Well, there are some people who will do it regardless—God bless them. There are some people who will choose not to. I am more worried about the marginal voter, the person who's not as likely to participate, the person who needs a ride to the poll, the person who isn't registered

Information & Ethics committee  I would—

Information & Ethics committee  I would go back to our old code. Should we have a conflict of interest provision? Absolutely. Should we take something, expand it and add pages and pages of examples, carve outs and different limitations? That's just adding to the confusion.

Information & Ethics committee  I strongly agree with your position and I'll take it one step further. What happens if you're doing all this wonderful canvassing, then you get a job offer? These young people, who have been politically active, have met other people through the campaign. They may not be able to

Information & Ethics committee  Sunshine is the best medicine.

Information & Ethics committee  I believe that Mr. Carson was sentenced under the act. I understand your frustration. I think the way that I would respond to your question is by saying that a reputational hit for people who are in the business of being an advocate is damning. It will make it impossible for th

Information & Ethics committee  I think criminal charges are pretty serious.

Information & Ethics committee  What the Commissioner of Canada Elections chooses to do to enforce the law and whether or not they involve law enforcement officials is an administrative discussion for them to have. Do I think a publicly transparent list of donors—which every one of you would have for the partie

Information & Ethics committee  But when you balance the fact that contributions have to be made public and we have a public registry of lobbyists and then we have to list all of the communications we have with designated public office holders, I think you can draw those lines—and certainly Canadians can.

Information & Ethics committee  I can go ahead if you like.

Information & Ethics committee  That is the million-dollar question. The code of conduct is not a statutory instrument. There is no jeopardy attached to violating the code of conduct, other than reputational damage if there's an investigation and report. We could seek an injunction or make an application under

Information & Ethics committee  No.

Information & Ethics committee  I think a very good balance was struck in the Federal Court of Appeal's decision in Democracy Watch and Campbell. It has been stretched by subsequent commissioners. I think the best approach for these types of things is for Parliament to say what those limits are and for Parlia