That's an excellent point, Mr. Jean, and you're absolutely right.
The groups you listed are not traditionally in the voter block that I would rely on to get re-elected in northern rural Alberta, but that goes to show how this legislation really is the norm now. When it was first brought up, this was a contentious piece of legislation, and I would submit to you that it's really not that contentious a piece of legislation now. When the groups you mentioned, such as PEN Canada and some of these others, can agree with the Catholic Civil Rights League, the National Post editorial board, the Toronto Star, and the B.C. and Yukon Catholic Women's League on a private member's piece of legislation, there is broad consensus for this across our country. And dozens of others have endorsed this legislation.
As I've said to you, and I think you've seen in your riding and across our country, Canadians accept this as a piece of legislation that needs to move forward. I'm hoping that not only will we be able to get the support of the colleagues that I had in the last vote, but that through further discussion and consultation with my colleagues in the opposition we'll get more opposition votes on this legislation. This isn't something that should be used as a partisan wedge. It's not something their base doesn't agree with as well.