Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has a very poor record of keeping its promises on open government, independence of members, and the integrity of Parliament. We will soon see if the Liberal brass respects the right of members to vote freely in the House, or if it considers them to be nothing more than trained seals expected to show up just to make up the needed members and then bark yea or nay as they are told.
The hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce has expressed some real concerns about the federal budget. While I do not share his specific concerns I support his right to vote freely in the House to keep the promises he and the Liberals made in the red book, the promises the Liberals are now breaking.
It is unfortunate the Liberals do not support this right. We have already seen three Liberals punished for not toeing the party line. Page 92 of the failing Liberal red book talks of parliamentary reform. It says that open government will be the watchword of the Liberal program. It would be a shame if the hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce was punished by his own party for keeping his promise when his Liberal masters are breaking theirs.