Well, Mr. Chair, I will be as relevant as Mr. Julian was in the proceedings about an hour ago when you reminded him, on probably at least ten occasions, to stay on topic. He never did. I will do my best to stay on topic.
It has never been my attempt to be degrading in my comments. I just want to paint the picture as it really is. This is clearly a situation of where we have the interests of the remailers and their employees pitted against Canada Post. That's clearly the issue here.
Canada Post has the legal upper hand, but the policy hand is held by government. That's not only the minister, that's all of us. We're part of that process. It's a democratic process. It's a process that should not be subject to a filibustering situation, where the will of this particular body is frustrated by those who can't stand the thought of the majority prevailing.
I understand that Mr. Volpe is supportive of suspending this matter without an exit strategy. What we're doing is simply postponing what we're already into, which is a fulsome debate on the issue. Quite frankly, if we're talking about a suspension of debate until Wednesday, with no prospect of there being an exit strategy or closure to this debate, I can't support that.
Mr. Jean has just made a constructive proposal: let's cool our heads a bit and we'll suspend these proceedings until Wednesday at 3:30. However, at that point in time, based on the supposed goodwill that has been referred to at this table, we will agree that at a fixed time, all three motions—the dilatory motion as well as the main motion with its amendment—will be dealt with. That's reasonable. It's certainly supported on this side, and given other circumstances it might be supported on that side.
What concerns me is that we're playing with the lives—the welfare—of workers in the remailing industry. That's my concern. The sooner we resolve this, the sooner those workers in the industry have some certainty in their lives. Every day we drag this on and on with these motions and deferrals, the more we do a disservice to the very people who elected us to represent them at this table. Now we're attempting to defer that decision for another three or four or five days while there's some supposed compromise that will be worked out.
I would again encourage the other members of this committee to consider what's at stake here. It's the status quo. We already have an existing situation where remailers have jobs. That industry has been there for some 20 years, without interference from Canada Post.
This is clearly a black and white issue, and I'm not sure it merits deferral or suspension. I'll support suspension, but there has to be an exit strategy. There has to be a fixed time when we actually put this matter to a vote.