Mr. Speaker, our position is quite clear. When Bill C-42 was passed, we supported the bill. We still do today.
What the Bloc Quebecois, the official opposition objects to is the amendments made by the Senate. We said so openly, we said it in debate, I said so myself and I say it again today, that we should not even be looking at all the changes, all the amendments proposed by the Senate because they are not well founded, they are frivolous and useless. What the Senate has done hardly justifies the $42 million or $43 million it is given annually to do a job that has already been done in the House.
Today I will say again that Bill C-42 provides for all kinds of cases. It was not intended to deal with one specific case. The Senate wanted to do just that. The Reform Party is doing the same, by amending this bill so that every time a judge wants to take on international responsibilities, it would be necessary to go back to Parliament to pass specific legislation.
I say this is useless. We passed Bill C-42 in this House, heard witnesses, worked on this bill in committee and passed it at first, second and third reading. We went through all the different stages. The Reform Party was there, and its members did not propose any changes.
The legislation we adopted at the time could be applied to anyone, not just Judge Arbour or Justice Lamer or other judges, but to all judges throughout Canada and Quebec.
The amendments before the House today are an attempt to narrow the scope of this bill so that it will apply only to one particular judge, Judge Arbour. I say that the legislator should not use his legislative power to pass this kind of legislation.
That is why we are against this amendment, as we were against similar amendments proposed by the Senate.