Mr. Speaker, my congratulations as well to the hon. member for Hillsborough for an excellent presentation. With all due respect, he did not adequately address in his answer the question of my colleague from the Progressive Conservative Party about the vote.
Perhaps the hon. member for Hillsborough is a bit confused. What the opposition is asking for is not whether we commit or vote on committing ground troops at this time. We recognize that decision will be made at some time in the future. What we were endeavouring to do today during Oral Question Period, and what we will continue to try to do during this debate this evening until the wee hours of the morning I am sure, is to get a commitment from the government that if the government does move to commit ground troops in the future, it will only be after a full and open debate in the House culminating in a vote.
I do not understand what is so difficult about getting a commitment, not only from the Prime Minister, but from all government members of parliament on that very issue of democracy in this parliament.