Mr. Speaker, it is a real pleasure to try and speak to this bill. I am completely confused.
It is really quite incredible to sit here and listen to this debate today on Bill C-93. It strikes me as more than a little odd that in
just about the last two and a half hours we have managed to move ahead about a year and a half. About two and a half hours ago we were debating Bill C-92 which dealt with implementing certain aspects of the 1996 budget. Here we are now moving at the speed of light and dealing with Bill C-93 and the implementation of certain facets of the 1997 budget. We are moving ahead very quickly.
In replying to this legislation, I noticed that once again the Liberal government is doing exactly the same thing that it has become renowned for doing over the past three and a half years. It is using every procedural tactic possible to stifle debate in the House of Commons, particularly today. Rather than face the public honestly and try to shut down debate as it normally does with time allocation, it has opted to use another procedure and shuffle these two bills off to committee, regardless of the fact that the principle of these bills has already been decided. I listened to a couple of Liberal members make their presentations. The hon. member for Durham said something to the effect that it has taken us a long time to get to where we are today.