Hon. Judith G. Seidman: Yes, senator.

Senator Seidman: Thank you, senator, for your question. As you are aware, all meetings and discussions at the Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest for Senators are held in camera because of the high confidentiality of our work. Thus, I cannot respond to the particulars of your question. However, I can respond in more general terms and I do hope that will be helpful.

In response to your first question, the Ethics Committee receives correspondence regularly, and we always respond promptly to assure the individual that their letter or request has been received and that the committee will consider it. I have no doubt that you received such a response.

Second, with regard to your particular request for amendments, the committee works quite regularly with code amendments that have been suggested by senators or others. However, this work is quite regularly interrupted by urgent demands that require priority, as I am sure the chamber understands. In fact, the Ethics Committee has a regular program of review of the code and periodically puts out requests for input from senators and others.

You have seen the results of that weighing and considering of these suggestions because they must always be presented, debated and voted upon in this chamber. That is the result of our reports to this chamber, of which I myself, as chair, have presented several.

If I might add, we have been told that the Senate of Canada’s ethics code is one of the strongest of its type and is being used as a model for other legislatures.

The amendments that we, as a chamber, have made to date — and there have been quite a few rather important ones over the last few years — have been very constructive, and senators should be reassured by that. However, there is an ongoing process of updating the code and receiving suggestions from senators. When time permits, of course, we will do that and we will bring reports to the chamber.

I hope that this is helpful, senator. Thank you.