Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General.
On January 31, 1996, the following recommendation was made on page 55 of the report by the task force examining part I of the Canada Labour Code: "That the government undertake an examination to determine the appropriateness of allowing RCMP officers to unionize and to conduct collective bargaining under legislation other than the Canada Labour Code."
Yesterday the Solicitor General told the Canadian Police Association that he was refusing to allow RCMP officers to exercise their legitimate right to unionize. Does the minister not acknowledge that he has thus rejected out of hand the process of public consultation announced by the Minister of Labour concerning RCMP unionization?