Mr. Speaker, I would not for one instance disagree with any ruling that you make with respect to this issue being a prima facie case of breach of privilege. I realize that you have carefully considered the issue and you have consulted with the experts you have around you.
My concern is with the motion itself. I have to say to my House leader and to my colleagues on all sides of the House that I believe the motion is of sufficient importance that we should treat it as an issue of conscience and as a free vote.
It is for this reason. If my colleagues speak out in criticism of you, Mr. Speaker, which is what this is all about, and they are then as a consequence brought before a committee of the House and required to defend what they have said, I feel that their punishment has been meted out, that they have been called to account, that there have been sanctions.
As I spoke earlier, I believe in our parliamentary system and our democracy that every MP should have a right to criticize anyone as long as the criticism falls into the realm of fair comment. In this instance the criticisms fell into the realm of fair comment. I am sure, Mr. Speaker, you would have found ample precedents on other occasions where MPs have suggested because of a Speaker's ruling that the Speaker's election may be in jeopardy at some future time.
I am concerned that this issue strikes at the very heart of the freedom of MPs to speak out both within and without the Chamber. If they do not feel free to speak out, if they hesitate to speak out because of some perceived sanction that may be imposed upon them at a later time by their colleagues in committee, I do not think we will get the debates, either in the Chamber or in public, that we need in order to proceed to consider the issues carefully in a democratic fashion.
I hesitate to say this because I always want to support my side in the House. I considered very carefully the comments of the government House leader. However, on an issue as close to the heart as the freedom of every one of us in the House to speak out, both within and without the House, I have to say I cannot support the motion.