First of all, I'd like to perhaps establish that it's a little unfortunate that we even have to express the fact that something shouldn't be fundamentally partisan. I think we should all come here with the broader interest in mind, truthfully. So whatever expression I take—and I take all members, frankly, as coming here with the best intentions, in terms of the interests of the country—I have a fundamental problem with the idea that I think is implicit in Mr. Abbott's comments. Again, I say this with all respect.
I've read articles in the newspaper to the effect that the government doesn't intend to act on the recommendation voted by Parliament last night, and that bothers me as we advance to this other discussion. I would respectfully submit that of all the things that have been said about our respect for our symbols, we have to show some respect for Parliament—if not as a democratic institution, at least as a symbol.
So for my part, and for what it's worth, I'm extending to the people.... Having a large military base in my constituency, I've had an inordinate number of people affected by this, and I couldn't imagine that something that would be available to me would somehow be denied to those people. But I would hope, given that Parliament has expressed itself the way it has, this would be the opening position of Mr. Abbott's motion; that given what's happened, the government will accept the will of Parliament, in this case, but that he feels there are other things he'd like to explore, so that at least he has that as his opening position.
Secondly, and finally, because of the vote last night and the way that some groups are posited as being against other groups—not because anyone's doing this on purpose, but because that's what these kinds of debates sometimes involve—I think it's probably not the best time to do this. I don't mean to suggest that there's never a good time to do this, but maybe not just at this moment, given the observations that have been made about who has this right and who has that right, and so on and so forth. I'm not sure this is the best time to have the discussion.