Mr. Speaker, the issue of internal party discipline is very interesting. I have no idea what it has to do with the debate at hand.
We could exchange with members across the way which party kicked out more members than the other party. It could go on for a long time. There are remnants of that scattered all over the back row on that side of the House. I do not know what that would accomplish. I recognize the hon. member is the whip for his party but he is asking me a question for a whip. I am not the whip but perhaps he will participate in the debate later.
The most important thing for us to remember is twofold. First let us not trivialize this in that manner. I do not think we should do that. Second, we should all remember that there was a free vote. There were several. In 1993 the votes were so free that we had a rather curious situation of a tie. After several votes, and then a subsequent vote, each one as free as the previous, it resulted in the excellent choice of you, Mr. Speaker, to hold the high office which you now hold.
Again, in 1997, not only were the votes free but they were secret. We did not even know who was first or second after we voted. The only thing we knew was who was last because that person was eliminated from the ballot. Through all these votes we arrived at the choice of Speaker, a choice of which I am personally very proud. I hope that I am saying what all of us, or nearly all of us if all of us is not achievable later today, will also say.
That is the important issue in this debate today. We are not discussing what whip is bigger than the other whip. We are discussing whether or not we have confidence in the Speaker, and I do.