—and are silent, because they have been given marching orders. They've been told that “this is what is going to happen”. David and I have had a couple of discussions. I think David may be on to something with his theory about why we are here, because it makes no sense, not only to me but to many Canadians I've spoken with about this filibuster that's occurring.
It's one of two things, as David surmises. It's either that the government doesn't really know what it's doing, which is possible, or there's a master plan at work that this will continue and the government will allow opposition members to carry the debate until such time that the government wishes to invoke closure. Their rationale will be that this impasse is delaying the proper implementation of government business, and they have to do this. They'll say that they do not want to take this draconian step, but they have to, to make sure that Parliament continues to operate as it should, and they have a deadline, a calendar, in front of them. That would allow the government to rationalize bringing down closure, to get their desired results, and to achieve the changes they want to see in the Standing Orders.
But I know, as Mr. Christopherson knows, and as I think every parliamentarian—even on the government side—knows, if that is the plan, and if that is the course of action the government wants to take, this place, Parliament, will start to disintegrate very quickly. There will be a price to pay for that. There will be a price.
Of course, that would further allow the government to say that because the House is in such disarray—