Mr. Speaker, that is really good. There are those who would say I have been called worse than that before.
I guess in parliament it is a little different. They seem to get excited when the opposition over here catches them sleeping. They seem to get excited actually when we bring up an issue near and dear to the heart of most Canadians like what exactly is a democracy. Is a democracy sending parliamentarians to Ottawa to represent their constituents and to stand up here in the House and talk to no one on the other side? Is that what democracy has come to?
I have heard from a number of people this morning already on this issue, not parliamentarians but other people, who said it has been like this for a while. It is going downhill in the House of Commons. The opposition parties get plain frustrated because there is no one on the other side.
I think because we are drawing a line here today it is most appropriate and I think this government is going to hear from all opposition parties very likely that we are just sick and darn tired of this.
I am not going to take any further of my time on this. I know there are other members that want to talk to this. But if I can impress any one thing on this other side, do not take this issue lightly. We did not come here to face the other side with all the seats empty. We are going to make this a very large issue and it is going to cost a lot of time in this House in debate time. It is going to cost a lot of hours and it is all unnecessary. All we ask is the respect of a majority government to sit and listen and debate and consider what we have to say.
This government should understand this. It has very few seats where I come from and we do represent the people where we come from. If it does not have that representation, for instance in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, I am a part of it.
There is an obligation to listen. There is an obligation to be in this House. We may not like what they have to say across on the other side but just as much as my colleagues from all parties across this side have to sit in here and listen to the things they say.
If this is truly to be a house of democracy then what is really required is a government to pay attention to the people from all regions of this country and listen to what they have to say. Do not ever again empty the seats on the other side or the government will find the next motions before it a lot tougher than this one.