Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege of serving in the House for three terms. I have always thought that this was one of the greatest honours and privileges of my life.
I have always considered this was the nation's boardroom, the boardroom of Canada. This is the chamber where we come together to build a better Canada. Mr. Speaker, you are the chairman of this board. This is not the Prime Minister's chamber. This is not the chamber of the Liberal Party or the chamber of the Bloc Quebecois. This is the chamber of Canada.
In the last six years something different has happened in this Chamber. Through the democratic process duly elected members from the province of Quebec have come here to say they are not here to build Canada but to begin a separate country called Quebec. There have been times when I found it very difficult to deal with this situation, but I have always tried to the best of my ability to work with members of the Bloc Quebecois on certain social issues where I felt we were together and on which I think they have done a great job on behalf of all of Canada.
Last week during debate on Bill C-20 the Bloc Quebecois put forward 1,000 amendments.
Had you not been fair, Mr. Speaker, you would have ruled many of them out of order. You made this entire chamber of Canada submit to the right of those members of parliament to put all their motions through. In summary, I want to say that action ratified your fairness in this Chamber and I continue to support you.