Thank you, Mr. Chair.
On this side we're very concerned about this motion. It stems from our concern about Bill C-4 as a whole. This motion, of course, deals with the omnibus budget implementation act, which is, yet again, another attempt by this government to throw several legislative changes into one large bill. Many of the provisions in this bill, which have nothing to do with the budget, are meant to limit time for debate, limit discussion, limit any changes, limit input, and to then pass this through as quickly as possible. Frankly, it's a bad way to make legislation. It's disrespectful to the democratic process.
I do want to say that I agree with Mr. Saxton that there are elements of Bill C-4 that should be debated in other committees, and we can discuss which committees. There are three that are proposed: justice and human rights; human resources, skills and social development and the status of persons with disabilities; and citizenship and immigration.
Yes, there are provisions that should be discussed and debated at these committees, but what is being proposed is that there would be a very, very limited time for review at these committees, and these committees won't have had the opportunity to vote on any amendments or to adopt or reject any parts of this proposed law, because ultimately the bill would all come back to the finance committee. We won't have had the benefit of any of the testimony that had been before the other committees. The power to vote on any amendments and to finally vote on the bill is taken away from the committees that have the expertise and that ought to be looking at these sections of the bill. It's a terrible process. It's a bad way to make legislation.
We want to register our protest. We do not think these omnibus bills should make massive changes by throwing the government's almost entire legislative agenda into one large bill. This omnibus budget bill, C-4, would change over 70 pieces of legislation. Some of it is tax legislation and should quite rightly be before the finance committee. But changes to how Supreme Court judges are appointed? Really? Changes to health and safety protection for workers at banks or airlines? Really? We're dealing with that at the finance committee? It makes absolutely no sense.
We want to register our protest against this format. Our message to the government, once again, is to break up these bills. Send the pieces that affect different committees to the appropriate committees, not only for one or two days of witnesses, but for a thorough review, a normal legislative process. Let those committees discuss, debate, propose amendments, and vote on separate pieces of legislation.
Our message is that we should be breaking up these bills, not cramming all these changes into one omnibus budget bill. We think this is a bad way to make legislation.
Mr. Chair, we will be voting against this motion.