The second point I would make is that there has also been reference to the fact that many of Mr. Masse's proposed amendments are out of order, because with the bill coming here after second reading, it is assumed that the principles of the bill have been adopted by Parliament.
To date in this Parliament, there hasn't been a single piece of legislation come to committee after first reading. That is a significant change in the way the committees function. It's a significant decrease in the influence of parliamentarians in terms of legislation, because it limits us in our ability to affect legislation in committee prior to that principal agreement. There hasn't been one. Of the 20 pieces of legislation sent to committee, zero have gone before second reading, as against almost 30% of all the legislation in the last Parliament, as a specific exercise to give parliamentarians more capacity to change legislation earlier in the process, before decisions are made.
I make the point because we rule things out of order sometimes not knowing why, I guess, and the reality is that this is the reason. I would make the point strenuously to members opposite in particular that we should see more legislation after first reading so that as parliamentarians we would have an opportunity to affect public policy earlier in the process.
I would hope that members on this side will join with me in that observation, because it is critically important. We were making progress, and that progress seems to have been arrested, for whatever reason.
