Mr. Keddy just said what had been left unsaid so far, namely, that this is a motion to expedite the process in the House.
The committee's motion should not make it possible to expedite debate. We are here to study motions and amendments thoroughly and to debate bills. That's what we do.
Independent members cannot sit on the committee on a regular basis. In all other discussions, no independent member has the same right to speak that we, as regular members, do.
In that respect, the debate we could have in the House of Commons should focus on the ability of these members, who do not enjoy the same status we do, to assert their right to represent their constituents. That is the crux of the matter, here. For example, Green Party members, independent members and Bloc québécois members do not have the right to sit as regular members of a committee. As per its procedure, the House of Commons entitles them to represent their constituents in the House of Commons when a bill is being study at report stage, as we can here. That gives legitimacy to their right to represent their constituents.
Now, think about the fact that amendments are proposed one at a time. Mr. Van Kesteren can move an amendment, as I can, on behalf of the people of the riding of Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques. We can do it now because we are regular committee members. But just think about what it would be like if 50 other members of the Conservative Party and 30 other members of the NDP wanted to propose their amendments themselves? Would we let them sit alongside us, the regular members? We wouldn't. And yet that is what's being asked for independent members. In doing so, we would really establish different procedures for different categories of members, and that's not acceptable in our parliamentary system.
I repeat the fact that this method had never been used until this past spring, when we were studying Bill C-60. Since it had never been used, it can only be regarded—and Mr. Keddy was quite candid—as a strategy by the government to expedite the process in the House of Commons.