Well, I do not know if sumo wrestlers are prettier. That is in the eye of the beholder I suppose, but that is what these banks are like.
The irony of this whole thing is I know how lots of members of the Liberal Party feel about this. They have a caucus committee which is looking at the merger. We in the NDP are doing the same thing. I assume members of other parties are concerned as well. Why do we not get together and have a parliamentary committee look at it formally? We could subpoena the banks to come before us and give the Canadian people a chance to come here or we could go out to the provinces and territories and hear witnesses. Why do we not do that?
Why are we content as members of Parliament to be controlled by the Prime Minister's office all the time? Why do Liberal members not get up on their hind legs and say enough is enough? Let us have a democratic parliamentary institution where we can have a parliamentary inquiry into one of the most fundamental issues we are facing in this particular Parliament, the future of our financial institutions.
I see a Liberal member across the way and I know he agrees. I can hear his head shaking all the way across the floor. He agrees with me. He thinks there should be a parliamentary committee. I am sure the Reform Party feels the same way.
I am sure that the Bloc Quebecois also wanted a parliamentary inquiry on the future of our country's financial system.
If Parliament is not to debate important issues of public policy, then why in the devil is Parliament here in the first place? Why are we here if we cannot debate these issues, if we cannot have public hearings across the country, if we cannot subpoena witnesses and allow the people to speak their minds? That is what Parliament should be all about.
I know the member for Windsor—St. Clair certainly agrees with me. She is rising to her feet. Now she is smiling. She wants a parliamentary inquiry. She wants a chance to go after these mega banks. She does not agree with these large mega banks, but what can she do? She is muted. She cannot say a word. If she wants to be a cabinet minister, she does not dare speak out as the Prime Minister might get a little upset with her, and she will not be a cabinet minister. That is the kind of parliamentary system we have. That is why we have to reform this place and change it to make it more relevant to the people of Canada.
I suspect if we took a vote in the House we would find that the overwhelming majority of members of Parliament are concerned about this proposed merger. The Reform Party probably is. Liberal members are. The Bloc is. I assume the Tories are. And what are we doing about it? We make one or two speeches in the House. Let us turn this debate into a debate on this particular issue right now.
The banks have engaged a lobbying firm which is lobbying like mad to make sure the banks get their way. The banks across the country are advocating what they want and campaigning to have the right to merge. We are giving the banks a free run. That is exactly what is happening. As parliamentarians we are sitting here like a bunch of bimbos on our butts and not doing anything about it in terms of striking a parliamentary committee.
Let us turn this place into a relevant institution and have a parliamentary investigation into the wisdom or lack thereof of these mergers. However the Minister of Finance will not do it. He wants to be prime minister of the country. Who will he side with? Will it be the bankers of Bay Street or ordinary people? The member for Windsor—St. Clair has re-entered the House. I know she does not side with the bankers of Bay Street, but what about the Minister of Finance? Does he side with the bankers of Bay Street?
What does he do? He is afraid to face the music and have a parliamentary inquiry. I am surprised Reform Party is not up in the House demanding a parliamentary inquiry. I know it is a very conservative right wing party. It has more and more friends in the corporate elite. It falls in love with the Conrad Blacks of the world. Perhaps that is why its members are silent in the House about an inquiry into banking.
I see the member from Calgary, the revenue critic, shaking his head. I can hear that from here too. That is why the Reform Party does not want a parliamentary inquiry. I thought it was supposed to be a people's party, a grassroots party, speaking on behalf of ordinary people. It is not. It is becoming a party reflecting the corporate elite. It would not know a worker if it saw one.
Why are Reformers in a coalition with the Liberal government? Why do they stand four square with the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister in terms of the way they are handling the banking issue? They should be out there saying let the people speak, let the people decide, let us have a parliamentary inquiry, let us have a parliamentary investigation to see if this is good for Canada or not.
Today we have a new opportunity with the bill before the House to talk about competition policy and why we have to strengthen it. We have the case in point today to deal with, the merger of the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Montreal.
Mr. Speaker, I know if you were a member on the floor of the House you would be getting up to make the same kind of speech. In fact you are applauding me there in the chair right now.