Madam Speaker, Bill C-4, which we are debating this morning, involves 12 European nations. In addition, it involves Japan, the United States, Russia and, of course, Canada.
This civil international space station will cost the people of Canada over $1 billion, at the very least. What bothers me is the government's lack of respect for the House of Commons and for democratically elected members.
It was around 1984 that talk of creating this civil space station first began. The first negotiations took place between the United States and Spain and, over the years, many other countries joined in.
What hurts a parliamentarian, however, is that Canada signed this agreement on January 29, 1998, almost 22 months before the government House leader deigned to introduce the bill for ratification.
The chief whip of the Reform Party raised this major time lag, which is probably the reason for the poor attendance today, particularly by government members who, for some reason, perhaps to snub their own government, are taking very little part in a debate that could, in fact, be very constructive.
I would like to hear what the Reform Party whip has to say about this lack of respect for Canada's elected representatives.