We are not going after the right to filibuster, not in any way, shape, or form, but I would like to have a conversation about how to make filibusters “rest-of-Parliament-friendly”. Why should the whole House blow up because PROC, or maybe BILI or the scrutiny of regs committee, is having a family dispute?
The point of all this is that what I want—what we want—is simply a discussion. I want to call on witnesses. It was fortuitous that we had the Scottish here today, just before question period, and we learned that in that country filibusters do not and cannot happen. That's an interesting fact that we learned today. I want to see what the best practices are from around the world, have more discussion, and then see if we can formulate meaningful reform proposals around that discussion.
If we end up in a situation where we are going down the road to a report that you, my dear friends, consider to be unacceptable, your opportunity to object is not limited to minority reports, but then, there, that is the time that a filibuster might actually make sense. A report cannot, after all, go back to the House if we cannot get it to a vote.
That, friends, is all I have for the moment, but I would appreciate returning to the speakers list, Chair. I may want to respond again eventually.
Thank you.