Madam Speaker, I have always been an advocate that members of Parliament can play a meaningful role in amending or designing legislation in the House of Commons. Therefore, I do not share the view of the Bloc member for Trois-Rivières. It is important that we explain to Canadians how as individual MPs we can have an impact on the system.
If I have a particular view of how the Small Business Loans Act should be amended, then I should sit down with colleagues on both sides of the House and develop a consensus. Quite often when we can get a consensus it has always been my experience that unless it is something that really upsets the fiscal framework of the country most ministers accept good ideas from their parliamentary committees.
I have never experienced a situation in which a minister who had constantly ignored the advice of his political confreres on a constant basis whether in the House, in committee or in caucus still succeeded as a minister. I have never known ministers to succeed if genuine requests from MPs to their departments are ignored. If they are ignored it is the MPs' fault.