Mr. Speaker, I will use those three minutes as wisely as I can.
Soon we will be seeing a spectacle in this House. A whole bunch of members of Parliament who were elected by their constituents are going to stand up one after the other, and they are going to vote the way their whip tells them to vote. They are not going to listen to what their constituents back home have to say on the GST and harmonization. Instead, they will do as they are told like a bunch of bleating sheep. I am disgusted with that.
I want to read from the speech of the member for Burin-St. George's on March 12, 1993 when he was on this side of the House: "Let me say how we in this party propose to deal with the issue. We have said we would wipe out the GST. We intend to do that". He said that right in the House. They said it in the House, they said it on the hustings, and what are they doing? Garbage.
"We have said that during the first year of our mandate we will consult Canadians, which is more than this administration has done". He was referring to the previous Conservative government. Have the Liberals consulted? Have they listened? No, they listen to their whip. They will vote so they can get re-elected, so the Prime
Minister will once again sign their nomination forms. Then they will be able to collect their MP pension plans. This is ridiculous.
"I want to tell Canadians who were not consulted last time that this time they will be consulted". That is so much garbage. I am ashamed of the members opposite who do not have the fortitude to stand up for the people but who will stand up for themselves and vote the way they are told. I challenge them, do they have any fortitude?
When that vote is called in a few minutes will they stand up and speak for the people of Canada or will they speak for themselves? Will they speak for their Liberal government which has totally flip-flopped on this issue since coming into power? Will they do that? I challenge them to do that. I do not believe they will but I am going to ask them to. I am going to ask them sincerely. I am asking them strenuously.
My challenge is there. We will be watching carefully and so will the Canadian people not only later this evening but in the next election.