Mr. Speaker, I will obey your injunction and be very brief.
I want to associate myself with the eloquent arguments that were made initially by the member for St. Paul's and thank her for bringing this important legislation before the House. I also want to pay tribute to Senator Colin Kenny who has travelled tirelessly across this country, in the shared objective of members on all sides of this House, to deal with the human tragedy of 40,000 deaths each year, too many of which are teenagers and young people.
While there have been a range of arguments on the issue of a tax versus a levy and the constitutional acceptance of this legislation, I suggest an alternative which might meet with the approval of members on all sides.
I have consulted with the Table. There is another option, other than a ruling at this stage which may or may not preclude debate on the substance of this bill. I appeal to members to consider seriously this option.
I make it very clear that this argument is without prejudice to the position that I, the member for St. Paul's, my colleague from Winnipeg North Centre and others would take, which is that the bill is in order and should proceed.
I suggest to members that the House is in a position, should it agree not to give unanimous consent to allow this bill to proceed through all stages, to give consent to allow this bill to proceed through second reading and committee stage. The House can give that consent now. Members can give that consent. Should that consent be forthcoming, then Canadians would be in a position to be heard on this issue through members on all sides, both in the House and in committee.
At the same time the government could consider the advisability or the wisdom of proceeding with a ways and means motion, should it believe that necessary.
Obviously, Mr. Speaker, procedurally I would suggest that should consent be granted, your ruling would be postponed until necessary to rule on the specific issue of the necessity for a ways and means motion.
I want to appeal to members of the House. There is a will on all sides of the House to allow the merits of this very important legislation to be heard. Therefore, I want to ask members on all sides of the House for unanimous consent to allow Bill S-13 to proceed through second reading and committee stage.
Should consent be granted, then obviously it would still be very much within the purview of the government to consider the wisdom of proceeding with a ways and means motion. But what this would allow—and, as I say, I have consulted with the Table—is for the merits of this very important legislation to be considered in the House and in committee. Therefore, I seek that consent.