Your Honour, before I ask my question, I would like to express my gratitude to you and to Speaker Rota for supporting my candidacy for the presidency of the IPU, and especially Stuart in your office, who has been most helpful.

Senator Gold, we have spoken in this chamber about my run for the presidency of the IPU. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Champagne, has reached out to me, has spoken to me, has offered me his support, for which I am very grateful. However, the two Speakers wrote a letter of support for me; I needed the support of my Parliament to run. I have been asking the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs if they would forward that letter to our diplomatic missions, and they agreed. However, since last Wednesday, every day we call and we are told that it’s being sent out today. About an hour ago, again we were told it’s being sent out today. Time is of the essence. I’m running out of time. The election is on November 1.

There is a rumour going around that my Parliament, my government, does not support me. To put an end to those rumours, the diplomatic missions could just distribute that letter in every country that they’re in. Minister Champagne has been very clear. He gave me his private number. I thank him for his support, but I need the next step to be taken. If the letter is not sent out today, it doesn’t help me because a lot of the countries we are appealing to are closed on Fridays and it’s already Wednesday morning in certain countries.

This is not a criticism; this is asking you for help since you are the government leader in the Senate. Would you please reach out to Minister’s Champagne’s office and tell them time is of the essence? If that letter is going to be sent out — and that is the decision I’ve been told has been taken, that it would be sent out — will you please do it today because today is the deadline for me? Thank you.