Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party in its typical, politically expedient fashion is now attempting to portray itself as a champion of human rights in the course of the APEC debate, when in the not so distant past it was a party with very little thought for human rights. That is not likely to change in the very near future.
Time and time again Reform Party members' statements have revealed their utter disregard for human rights. For example, with reference to the charter, the member for Wild Rose said in the Calgary Herald that if amendments cannot be made “we should scrap the whole thing”.
In this very place the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca went so far as to suggest that “the charter is actually discriminatory” and that “unfortunately in 1982 the Liberal government of the day decided to bring in the charter of rights and freedoms”.
I am certain that this political expediency will not curry favour with Canadians, regardless of their political allegiances.