First of all, I'd like to thank my honourable colleagues across the way for their offerings this morning. I have some trouble reconciling the case for workplace democracy in the face of the record of the past administration, an administration that introduced legislation to end strikes and to impose wage restraints and wage caps on unions that were trying to bargain for better wages and better benefits, but we'll leave that aside for a moment.
I want to take a moment to respond to Ms. Gallant's comments about workplace democracy and the Jolicoeur consultation report that came out. I want to point out a few important stats.
Of the members who were polled, 77% said it was of great importance, or it mattered a lot, that they have a bargaining unit. It's true that 65% of the RCMP wanted a bargaining unit that represented only the police force, and I think we'll come back to that. Also, 62% wanted a single national bargaining unit and didn't want regional bargaining units. As well, 83% wanted the principal mandate of the bargaining unit to be RCMP-focussed, while 80% strongly agreed or agreed they should have binding arbitration. I say that in contrast to any kind of suggestion there isn't a critical mass of RCMP members who want to achieve the collective bargaining rights that are being considered today.