Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to speak to Bill C-2.
I was particularly interested in the analysis and comments by the previous speaker with regard to the work of committees. In the last two years I have served on the public accounts committee which is chaired by one of the Reform opposition members who, I would add, does a very good job, is very impartial and fair and really runs an excellent committee. We have a process in place here where the official opposition automatically gets the opportunity, if it so chooses, to chair the public accounts committee.
I also served on the citizenship and immigration committee and filled in on a number of different committees. The committee system that is in place is not dysfunctional and is not what the member has said, a sham. In fact, it is representative of the make-up of this place. Why would that be? Interestingly enough, the majority of Canadians voted for this government in two elections in a row.
Should we abdicate our responsibility? We have been told by the Canadian people that they want the Liberal Party and this Prime Minister to run the government. We understand that the opposition is not happy with that. I served in opposition myself to a labour party, to Bob Rae and—I will be nice—his group of colleagues. It was somewhat frustrating, to say the least, to see a majority government of New Democrats in the great province of Ontario.