Madam Speaker, we are debating Bill C-4. It is fascinating to watch how we can move from Bill C-4 to another topic. I will do the same and I will explain to the Canadian public why I am doing it.
Bill C-4 is formalizing our commitment to the space station, something that every Canadian should be proud of. Every Canadian would expect the bill to be unanimously approved. Of course I approve of the bill.
The U.S., Japan, Europe, Russia and Canada are the countries involved in the space station. These are countries with vastly different political systems, vastly different cultures and different monetary systems. What did they end up doing? Did they end up dwelling on those differences, unable to co-operate, and fighting among one another? No. The scientists joined forces. The engineers got together and divided up the tasks. The astronauts trained for complementary roles. The politicians set aside their own agendas and they co-operated.
The result was the Canadarm, something which most Canadians have seen and are proud of; Julie Payette; and high tech wizardry in Canada. Good solid employment trickled down to our universities. Professors are proud of our involvement in the space station. Students had a goal to strive for. There was co-operation, give and take, sharing, interchange, dependence upon one another and looking after common goals. That is what the space station has done.
What are we in the House like when it comes to co-operation? Let me talk about a brand new historic agreement, a treaty for a native group in the Nass Valley in British Columbia, a treaty that is complex, thick and difficult to understand. What an occasion. All the world was to co-operate. We had to get the information out and explain to everybody in the country what it was all about.
What has happened? The co-operation has been so dreadful on this issue that I as a member of parliament from southern Alberta with the largest native reserve in Canada, the Blood reserve, was denied the ability to speak on the treaty in the House by a government so intent on stopping co-operation that after four hours and 12 minutes time allocation was brought in.
To those Canadians watching that means debate was stifled, choked, smothered, shut down. I have to take my time on Bill C-4 to tell my constituents and Canadians—