Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As a newcomer to this committee I'm trying to be fair in my assessment of all the motions, but I think the motion addresses a long-standing inequality, quite frankly, that has been in existence.
All of us who belong to bona fide political parties with 20 members in the House are able to have a chair on a committee, to have our voices heard on a committee, and to be involved in debate on all subjects. Since I've been here, which is now for 16 years—Scott and I were elected at the same time—there has never been an ability for an independent or someone who represents a small party of three, four, five, or even ten members, to bring an amendment to committee. Therefore, the only choice they have is to bring those amendments to the report stage of the bill. We end up in long voting sessions, taking a lot of time from all parties, when I think, quite frankly, a lot of that could be handled at the committee level.
It is, quite frankly, a question of fairness and a question of equality. The point being made is to recognize that independents and other members still have rights as members of Parliament. We may not agree with the amendments they propose, but at least they have an opportunity to present them and have reasonable debate over them.