Mr. Speaker, I have a brief comment and a question for the member.
Members certainly will know that this has been a media circus. The bottom line is that all of us, this place and all members, look worse. As a end result it has hurt us all.
Five years ago in 1993 when we were elected there was no call for flags on the desks by Reformers. Neither was there in 1994, 1995, 1996 or 1997. There is no question the only reason this came up is that there was a political opportunity. Despite their protestations, this is clearly a political, opportunistic move.
What do we have? We have the Reform member for Medicine Hat who wants to throw a flag. We have the member for Edmonton North who wants to throw books. We have the Reform member for Okanagan—Shuswap who wants to throw punches. All these actions show that there is clearly a bent toward aggressiveness on behalf of the Reform Party. Clearly the motion has to be defeated simply because if we were to put 300 flags around the Chamber it would be like a giant pin cushion. Surely within a week one of them would be impaled.
All Canadians will see through the childish games that are being played by the Reform Party. Canadians will also understand that most members of Parliament are here not only to defend the flag, their country and their constituents but to do whatever we can to make this a better country.
My question for the member concerns the comments by the member of Rimouski—Mitis. The member should concede that her observations were with regard to the athletes' village. Did she go to the athletes and say “dear athletes. you have too many flags”? No, she did not. She waited until she got her photograph. She went to the press. She said to the Canadian people that they had too many flags.
Will the member rise now and concede that his own member is the sole reason we have this terrible situation in the House of Commons today?