Mr. Speaker, I commend the hon. member for his remarks and particularly for congratulating other members from other parts of the country in taking this matter seriously. This is a matter which affects the Canadian constitution and I think that all legislators, rightfully, should be concerned about it, whether they are for it or against it.
My question for the hon. member relates to the public mood in Newfoundland. He referred to the fact that people are tired of the debate which has gone on for nine years, the fact that it seems to drag on and on, and that people want to get it over with. Is it possible that some people voted yes in the referendum which was held earlier this year in order to get the matter done and dealt with? Were they more motivated by that than they were in considering the long term ramifications? In other words, was the referendum result, at least in part, a result of public anxiety about the process and wanting to get it done without having a full, thoughtful consideration of the consequences of voting yes?