Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the hon. leader of the New Democratic Party for her comments, as well as all of those who participated.
As one member of this House of Commons I wonder really what is going on in the minds of Canadians when they reflect upon this APEC situation. How can they understand that the Prime Minister and the solicitor general will not provide legal counsel for those students?
How can anyone have faith with the whole process? How can anyone have faith in us as parliamentarians when we see a government take action such as it did against the former chairman of the fisheries and oceans committee and against the member for Vancouver Quadra who basically spoke the opinions of Canadians?
Polling shows that what the hon. member for Vancouver Quadra said is really the wishes of Canadians and the wishes of the students, that legal counsel be provided.
I ask the hon. leader of the New Democratic Party how she thinks Canadians view this situation. How can they have faith in the legal system of this country? How can they have faith in the operations of this very parliament when the Prime Minister and the solicitor general have denied a basic right to those students?