My concern here, again.... And I stress, I have studied the amendments that we were presented with prior to the weekend. Some of the amendments put forward by the Liberal Party and others are amendments that I certainly think are of a positive nature, going forward with the bill.
You know, the government brought forward this bill. This special legislative committee was struck to look at the bill, to accept recommendations, to see if we can come forward with a bill that Canadians accept. To use the words of Mr. McGuinty, I'm disappointed but not surprised that we're here this morning with 30-odd new amendments, with another one just laid on us again. It's an understatement, in my view, to mention a pre-empting of the work of the committee.
Mr. Chair, we all came here in good faith--I certainly did--to address the concerns Canadians have with the environment. To see the sideshow that's gone on here this morning.... I hate to say this, but I think it's a major delay tactic by the Liberal Party. Attempting to jeopardize the work of the committee in our first meeting on clause-by-clause--we haven't even gotten to the first one yet this morning--I think is a major concern for us all.
If there's this idea that we're going to sit here and approve these amendments in three to five minutes, then certainly from my point of view--and I do speak only for myself--it ain't going to happen. I want an opportunity to study these amendments. I want an opportunity to have my say, to put forward any subamendments I may want to put forward, and to address the concerns we have.
I think it's just a delay tactic that's jeopardizing the whole atmosphere of what we're trying to do here.