Mr. Speaker, I want to make a couple of points on this issue and tell the House why we should be supporting this motion.
The complaints commission is to deal with two or three issues which are very important. One is to determine whether or not excessive force was used by the police. Another is to determine whether or not the police action constituted illegal acts. In other words, did they do things without legal authority and, if they did, were they motivated by instructions from the Prime Minister's office?
There is evidence to suggest that this situation has to be looked at. There is no question that the lawyers for the RCMP are not going to pursue that evidence. There is no question that the lawyers for the government are not going to pursue that evidence. That leaves it up to the commission counsel. That is not good enough.
There must be a legal pursuit of any evidence that suggests that there was manipulation by the Prime Minister or members of his office that caused the RCMP to act in a way that was improper or illegal. The commission must have the capacity to do that.
I submit that we do not have that now. We must have trained, experienced legal counsel to make submissions and motions for further documentation that they feel is necessary to be examined by the commission, all types of motions to ensure that this area has been completely and thoroughly exhausted so that when the report comes down we will have the answers. Was excessive police force used? Were there illegal acts committed by members of the RCMP in taking down signs where there was no constitutional or legal authority to do so? Was there any action taken by the police, particularly that which may be termed to be without legal foundation, which was motivated by instructions from the Prime Minister's office?
The commission must have the capacity to do that. What the motion before the House today, which we will be voting on later, clearly indicates, and what the discussions and the debate today indicate, is that we do not have that capacity within the commission now. That is one of the reasons, I suggest, the commission has asked for legal representation for the students.
If we want to rest assured when the report comes in that all avenues of investigation have been exhausted to determine those points—whether excessive police force was used, whether illegal police force was used, and whether any of it was motivated by instructions, or counsel, or intimidation, or whatever from the Prime Minister or his office—we must have legal counsel there.
That is why all members should consider supporting this motion when we vote on it later today.