Mr. Speaker, yesterday there was some discussion about whether the minister responsible for ACOA had read from an official document with respect to the views of the hon. member for Medicine Hat and that the document should therefore, in keeping with the traditions of the House, be tabled.
The government House leader has examined the document in question and finds that it is not an official or state paper but is a newsclip from a commercial clipping service that, in keeping with the usual courtesies, was sent to the critics of all the official parties on the day it became available last November.
The government has no objection to tabling this newsclip for the benefit of all members of the House. It is however not an official government paper available in both official languages and the House leader is not therefore, nor am I, permitted to table this document pursuant to Standing Order 34.
I wish therefore to request the unanimous consent of the House to permit me to table this paper as is in order to assist those members opposite who have made this request.