You know, Yvon, I do appreciate the sensitivity of this particularly issue. There's virtually not a week that goes by when I don't really get an appreciation for the privilege I have, as an individual, even to be here, to be a member of Parliament.
Having said that, I do know if I were to put myself in your shoes, or those of anyone who was being denied the opportunity to be where he's supposed to be to fulfill his responsibilities, it would be very upsetting. I'm trying to think of what we could do to improve the system. The thing that came across my mind as I listened to others provide comment was that if I were trying to get onto the Hill and someone were preventing me from getting onto the Hill, I would like to be able to contact someone, maybe pick up the phone. We have 24-7 RCMP officers at the gate so maybe there's a phone number that you can just call and state your name and say you are having a problem, and ask if someone can come. Do you know what I mean?
Is there an answer? It seems to me that this comes up periodically, and no matter how many times we have briefings and so forth, maybe the real answer is that we need to have someone inside who we can just contact to say we're having a problem, and that would initiate a call to the Speaker's office so nothing would take place inside the Chamber because they would realize that there was a problem with a member getting access, and that would heighten the importance of this.
I am looking for solutions, as you are, because I know if I were in your shoes, I would be upset because I had a right to be there and I would wonder how I was going to get there and what I should do. We all have phones nowadays. If there were a phone number I could call to get the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Sergeant-at-Arms could then get it straightened out, it would take two minutes and then at least I would have access.
Can you think of some ideas?