Mr. Speaker, I am a bit embarrassed at having to answer such a relevant question by my hon. colleague from Beauharnois—Salaberry, an eminent law professor. Such a question risks leaving me stunned and incapable of responding.
However, despite all, I will try to respond and trust my answer will find favour in the eyes of my colleague.
It is true that, under Canada's Constitution and its National Defence Act, the government is not obliged in theory to seek the approval of the House before acting in such matters. However, it goes, I would say, a little beyond the legal principle.
There are moral principles. There is the government's right to send soldiers to take part in an armed conflict that puts their lives at risk, without first taking a vote in parliament.
Earlier, my colleague from Joliette said appropriately that we did indeed have debates in this House. It is true that many parliamentarians have had the opportunity to speak on this important question, but what Canadians and Quebeckers want to know is whether their particular MP is in favour of sending ground troops and this they can know only if the government takes the trouble to consult this House.
My colleague from Beauharnois—Salaberry pointed out rightly that, among the NATO member states, a number of governments have had the decency, drawing on this principle of legitimacy and on these moral principles, to consult their parliament.
Today in fact there is a debate in the British House of Commons, and there have been two votes in the German parliament on the issue of intervening in the former Yugoslavia. The two houses of the Czech Republic are preparing to vote today on such intervention.
I would remind the members of the government, that at the time of the gulf war in 1991, the official opposition at the time called for a vote in the House on an armed intervention. I call on the government majority to recall the remarks it addressed to the government in 1991 in calling for consultation of this parliament.