We are entitled to two votes. The government House leader is especially culpable in this. The House leader has a special duty to parliament. He is an officer of the House and he has a special duty to ensure the rules are followed. He has a special duty to not follow the rules or instructions of the PMO and to protect the procedures and the operations of the House. Otherwise the House will pay and that is what we are doing here today. Because the rules were abused and because there was a temptation to take shortcuts and restrict the process, we are paying the price today. Mr. Speaker, you are paying the price today because you have to sit and listen to this.
During the short time in dealing with Bill C-20 we have seen members led down a path where their rights have been curtailed, the rights of Canadians to be heard in committee have been trampled and important relationships which make this place work have been thrown in the trash barrel, all in the interest of getting the bill passed in time for the Liberal convention. I truly believe that the Bloc moved this motion in an emotional moment, in a cloud of uncertainty while we were dealing with an issue that is so important to them. I do not believe this would have happened with any bill or issue other than Bill C-20.
Mr. Speaker, we as a party will not support the motion to have you lose your job, not even for a moment. The previous speaker for the Bloc indicated that it was not a reflection against you, Mr. Speaker. I think it is quite pertinent to have said that.
Considering the emotion and all the clouds surrounding this whole issue, the rush to judgment and time allocation and restrictions, the emotion felt by the Bloc members which I cannot underestimate or understate, I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to ask the Bloc members if they would now withdraw the motion. They have indicated that it is not against you; it is against the administration practices used in one serious instance. Rather than go through a vote, I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to ask the Bloc members if they would withdraw the motion.