Conservative leadership candidate Michael Chong is proposing “sweeping reforms” to the way political parties, the House of Commons and the Senate operate — among them, stripping party leaders of their ability to veto candidates who want to run in a federal election and having House of Commons committee members and chairs elected by secret ballot.

The MP for Wellington—Halton Hills, who is gunning to replace former Conservative leader Stephen Harper, said the Liberal government’s focus on changing the overall voting system is not the right approach.

“The real problem is not how Canadians elect their MP,” Chong said. “The real problem is what happens to those MPs when they get to Ottawa.”

Chong is advocating several democratic reforms, starting with eliminating a party leader’s power to veto party candidates. He said all party candidates should have the “democratic approval of grassroots party members.”

Once they start work on Parliament Hill, Chong said MPs are “too controlled” by party leaders, whips, House leaders and the Prime Minister’s Office. The Tory MP argued that the prime minister and the PMO have too much power, pointing to how a minority Conservative government prorogued Parliament to avoid a vote of non-confidence in 2008.

“In a 21st century democracy, no government should have the power to shut down an elected legislature,” Chong said.

Parliament should sit for an extra two days before a prorogation is granted, he argued.

Chong also proposed several changes to the daily operations of the House of Commons and the Senate. He wants to loosen the rules that limit the number of times a member can speak during debate over legislation, so all that want to speak up on a specific bill can do so freely. The Speaker of the House should also have the authority to “compel ministers to answer questions,” the Conservative MP said.

When it comes to parliamentary committees, members and chairs should be elected by a secret ballot vote, Chong argued. He also called the Liberal government’s Bill C-22 — which sets out to create a national security and intelligence committee — a “farce” and said this group should be a committee of the House of Commons, not a PMO committee.

Chong didn’t leave the scandal-plagued Senate out of his proposed reforms: He said the Senate Speaker and the Senate Government Leader should also both be elected, not appointed by the prime minister.

“The Liberals promised to reform the House of Commons and Senate. They promised Question Period reform, secret ballot election of committee chairs and proper national security oversight. They have not delivered,” Chong said. “I’m committed to taking action. My record demonstrates that I’m willing to fight for real democratic reform, not just talk about it.”

Chong also said political parties “still operate as closed clubs” and is calling for parties to make their membership free to attract younger generations and “encourage participatory democracy.”

“In effect, we’re putting up a barrier to democratic participation in 2016,” the Tory MP said. “We should not require people to pay in a party nomination or to vote in a leadership contest.”

When asked how parties would make up for that lost revenue and would avoid turning to alternate sources of income like corporate sponsorships, Chong said corporate sponsorships are banned and insisted there’s “plenty of ways” for parties to fundraise. He added that Internet giants like Facebook and Twitter have proven that “free membership pays long-term dividends.”

Parties also need to be “more transparent” and should disclose more detailed financial information annually, Chong said.

Just minutes before Chong announced his proposed reforms, rival Conservative candidate Steven Blaney held his own press conference where he said he would re-visit banning face coverings at citizenship ceremonies.

“I don’t think we should focus on those issues,” Chong responded. “The focus on my campaign will be on jobs, the economy, democratic reform, and environmental issues.”

Ches Crosbie, a St. John’s lawyer who was rejected by Conservative party officials from running in the riding of Avalon in the 2015 election, issued his support for Chong’s candidacy.

“I am supporting Michael to be the next Conservative leader,” Crosbie wrote. “His vision for talking (sic) back control from the PMO and party leaders means Newfoundland and Labrador will always have not only a voice, but a friend at the federal table.”