Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit that this is certainly not a case of contempt of parliament because the comments and questions attack individuals and not parliament as a whole.
As it happens we in the House are always subject to criticisms and attacks. The Prime Minister is subject to it on a daily basis in question period. I submit, Mr. Speaker, that you should be subject to it from time to time as well, if MPs so choose to make these comments.
The very essence of free speech in a democracy is that every member of Parliament has the opportunity and the right to express his views no matter how unpalatable they are to the rest of us. It is the very essence of a democracy that the newspapers have a right to seek and report those views.
In this case there was no threat. There was merely speculation that you, Mr. Speaker, would be subject to extreme criticism from within this parliament because of whatever decision you might bring down in this instance.
I remind you, Mr. Speaker, you are an elected person. I can remember at the end of the last parliament there was a great deal of newspaper speculation about whether you would be re-elected in the next parliament as a result of some of the decisions that you made. This is normal. This is the kind of fair comment that should exist in a democracy.
We cannot stop MPs from expressing themselves even though the majority of us may disagree with what they say. It is a threat to free speech if in any way, Mr. Speaker, you rule that this is a case of contempt.