Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to echo the comments made by my colleague. Yes, the motion we have before us contains some major changes. This motion deals with the rights of independent MPs. Yet they cannot even sit here to debate the motion with us. This motion has also been introduced in a number of other committees that have no authority at all to make those types of decisions. That is another breach of democracy.
The suggestion has been made that the rights of independent MPs are not trampled. They are allowed to introduce amendments, but they are not allowed to participate in the study at hand and to vote on the amendments they propose.
Finally, our dear government has introduced omnibus bills in the House. Independent MPs have introduced a number of amendments to those bills, which has forced us to sit very late in the House. I understand that it is an inconvenience, but that is how our system works. Independent members of Parliament are not allowed to be active participants in committee studies. Now, they are asked to proceed in a new way, which, honestly, is rather a way to violate their rights and the rights of the opposition. In order for an independent member to introduce amendments, one of the members of the opposition must agree to give them their seat. In addition to limiting the rights granted to independent members through the usual House procedures, we would be restricting the rights of the members of the opposition by partially excluding them from debate in order to avoid any House procedures that the government might find unpleasant.
That is not really the way to go. We think this amendment is completely unacceptable and it shouldn't be discussed in the various committees as is currently the case. Our committee does not have the authority to make decisions that have such an impact on our system. The other committees that have dealt with this issue so far do not have that power either. I do not understand why we are debating this motion today, unless the goal is to further limit the rights of MPs.
I cannot understand how someone can be in favour of this motion. I would have liked to hear more convincing arguments because, so far, I have not heard one good reason to convince me to support a motion like that.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.