No, you won't make me waste my four minutes.
The Court Challenges Program has nothing to do with a form of justice that gives a response. This program gives an individual a chance to appear before a judge in a given system, unless the government does not believe in our system. In that case, we shouldn't have courts of justice or judges, and we should abolish lawyers. The government, through Minister Baird, clearly told the House of Commons that it wouldn't pay people to challenge its laws because they're perfect and must be complied with.
If that's the case, if we want to save money, I'd like the taxpayers' representative to tell us whether that's indeed what he wants. Do you want us to completely abolish our democratic system in Canada? Is that the case?
Otherwise, I'll propose something to you, since we have to save taxpayers' money. When a citizen appears before the court and wins his case, the government won't be entitled to appeal from the judge's decision because it would be using taxpayers' money to do so.
As Francophones and Acadians, we represent a minority that was deported by boat to Louisiana in 1755. When Louisiana suffered damage as a result of Hurricane Katrina last year, we didn't even help in the reconstruction. That's what it is to be a minority. That's what happened to us.
Let's take the example of the Francophones in the riding of Acadie—Bathurst whom the government wanted to transfer to Miramichi, where 70% of the population is Anglophone. It was through the Court Challenges Program that we were able to make ourselves heard and to win that case. The Francophones of Prince Edward Island won their case concerning their schools. It was also through the Court Challenges Program that that was done.
I'm asking you the question honestly. I know you support this. I'd like to know from the people who want to save taxpayers' money if they're opposed to it.
