Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his comments and his questions. I think they are valid comments. Certainly there has been significant change in this House. I believe there could in fact be significant change in the other place.
I have to agree however with some of my colleagues from the opposition party when they talk about a policy and the Senate. I believe and we believe that we have to abolish some aspects of the Senate such as the appointments, the perks, the pay and pensions and those types of things.
Yes I was in attendance for the free vote the member speaks of. I congratulate the government for those types of initiatives. I think that is long overdue in this country. I do applaud that.
I look forward to more of those same types of things. If we openly look at the Senate, how it is created, what the process is and how it works I really do not see any other answer other than to make the thing effective. That is the only hope I see for thinly populate areas of this country.