Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Rest assured, I won't hijack the proceedings.

As committee members, we hear people's testimonies on relevant topics. However, I've always been uncomfortable with the committee's role as a court of law. I don't believe that we're a court of law and that we should make sweeping judgments. Ethics is about shedding light on matters in order to make the right decisions. To this end, we must be able to look at an issue in an unbiased manner. When a motion is worded to reflect a bias, problems arise.

A former Quebec premier, who was generally held in high esteem, once said, “audi alteram partem.” This means “listen to the other side.” In this situation, the Ethics Commissioner didn't say that he would conduct an investigation. He said that he would look into the matter. Personally, I think that this is a good thing. However, going back to the expression “audi alteram partem,” I also want to hear what the other party has to say. I would like to give them the chance to state their case without facing accusations. I'm not comfortable with accusations. I have no issue with shedding light on things. However, I do have an issue with making accusations, especially on an a priori basis.

It may be appropriate to hear what some proposed parties have to say. However, the process mustn't go on forever either. This brings me to another concern. The committee takes on many projects without finishing them. I'm concerned about this too, given that 12 departures doesn't equal one arrival.

I want to ask my colleagues to act wisely and to make a decision on this motion with their hearts, souls and heads. It's a good idea to hear what the other party has to say. However, we aren't a court of law and this shouldn't involve a conviction. We all receive online messages of varying degrees of pleasantness. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of a member of civil society receiving the same treatment because of bias. We can still shed light on the matter or at least clear things up.

If we want our actions to have meaning, we need to know where we're headed. Simply making gratuitous accusations isn't the way to go.

René Villemure

$510,426.00