Chair, I have just a few comments.
First I would suggest to all my colleagues that the issue in question here is quite frankly surrounded—whether it is filibustering or any other activities, or whether it is actions by you, Chair, it emanated from the very first motion brought forward by, I believe, Madam Redman to discuss the in-and-out advertising scheme.
I would remind my honourable colleagues—and I would hope, Chair, that my honourable colleagues would extend me the same courtesies I did them, as I did not interrupt them when they were speaking--that at the time the motion was introduced, the opinion of the law clerk of this Parliament and his advice to you, Chair, was that the motion was out of order.
Yet what happened? Did the committee take the advice of the law clerk—the law clerk, Mr. Chair, who is here to advise and assist all committees and all chairs in giving them good sage, sound, and impartial legal advice? Did the committee recognize that and heed his advice? No. They used a procedural tactic, which is perfectly within the Standing Orders, and they used their majority to overturn your ruling. They've done that consistently.
I hear consistently the theme from the opposition members opposite that you're not acting in an appropriate manner. I suppose they're trying to bring all of us back to an issue of fairness. I would point out, Chair—and we've had lengthy debates on this—that even though my colleagues opposite will not agree, it's quite obvious that the motion was brought forward for a single purpose: for partisan reasons, to try to embarrass the government and to try to create a scandal where none exists.
They overruled a chair's ruling, a ruling based on the advice of the law clerk of this Parliament. If anyone or any Canadian suggests that is fair and is something that should be accepted carte blanche, I would suggest, frankly, that the court of public opinion would weigh heavily on your side, Chair, and would find you acted in an appropriate manner. Since that time, government members on this committee have reacted strongly and aggressively by using our procedural rights to filibuster.
If one is going to argue that the chair has acted inappropriately, I would suggest that we should take a look at members around this committee. They can certainly blame me or blame any of my colleagues for filibustering; I'll take their criticisms and their objections, but I think they should also take a look at some of the actions of their own members.
I just want to make a couple of observations on that.
Monsieur Guimond was referring back to dates when you made rulings and adjourned meetings. I did not hear in his dissertation, however, any mention of his own conduct during some of those meetings. I recall quite vividly when Monsieur Guimond and one of his colleagues—I think it was Monsieur Bigras and I believe he was the substitute—came in and were acting in a very disrespectful manner. They were hurling personal comments at you, Chair, because they just didn't like the way things were going. They didn't like the fact that I was filibustering, that I was using a completely legal procedural tactic—