Listen, I don't want to turn this into a partisan discussion. Unfortunately some of the minds over on that side are made up, but I did want to address those that are still open. Mr. Malo wanted to hear our view on this.
And Mr. Scott, I think you were assuming that somehow this is an attempt to drag you, or perhaps others on this committee, into re-fighting the battle that we had on the half-masting. I spoke to Mr. Telegdi's bill, and I made it very clear in my comments--and you can check Hansard--that I believe it is more appropriate to deal with half-masting as a broader issue, not simply to take our soldiers, isolate them in that issue or in that discussion, but to talk about some of the others who are involved, like our rescue service providers, and some of the other occasions when we actually half-mast.
I believe there are actually eight times in the year when we half-mast the flag on the Peace Tower. This would be a more appropriate context in which to have a discussion regarding the half-masting on the Peace Tower.
For me it's not a matter of trying to make you complicit in our opposition to Mr. Telegdi's bill. I don't believe it's contempt on your part to support a broader study of half-masting in Canada.
I'll just finish off with a final thought. Mr. Abbott made the point that the expert's report that came out has a number of recommendations that have actually been challenged by some key people, including Tony Cannavino from the Canadian Police Association. I think we need to have a discussion about that. I'm concerned about those recommendations as well.
And yet what you're saying to us is that you don't want to have a discussion here. Then it leaves it up to government to implement those recommendations, and I'm not sure that's what this committee wants done. I'm not sure that's what Mr. Scott wants to do and I'm not sure that's what Mr. Malo wants to do.