First of all, I have taken full note of the debate this evening. I followed it from the lobby and in the House. I am heartened by the fact that members on both sides of the House have such a keen interest in pursuing this issue.
The member for Drummond who sat on the committee in the last Parliament that dealt with C-47 has done a valuable service by reintroducing this bill in the House because it has begun to focus the attention of all members. In fact, she will know that the minister and the department were already focused on the issue again.
Taking a look at it and the principles associated both in her bill and with Bill C-47 which preceded it in the last Parliament, it is I think the intention of all members in the House, of course, with the minister and the department to ensure that the bill which did not make it through the entire legislative process in the last Parliament will be revisited again. This would take into consideration at the same time all the changes that have transpired in the interim.
While the member for Drummond introduces this as an amendment to the Criminal Code, she will of course acknowledge, as I think she has today and in the past, that this is a most important social and health issue.
It will be dealt with as an issue that pertains essentially to the health of Canadians everywhere, particularly as did Bill C-47 to women and children. They are much more the focus of Bill C-47.
I think the member has done a service to the House by ensuring that those of us who are new to the issue can come back, revisit it in its principles, its details and in its particulars. I am hoping that members will be as co-operative when the bill is reintroduced in the House as they have been tonight.
I thank all members for intervening in the debate.