It is not probably possible, but I would like to think, whether I am here or on that side of the House, that I respect this institution and that I respect the rules.
We know the difference and the reason we do not have brawls, although we have come close on a couple of occasions. The distance between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition is the distance between two people holding swords with the tips barely touching. Why is that? The symbolism of that for me says it all about Canada. We do not kill one another. Our weapons are our minds. Unfortunately some of the weapons are a little less sharp than others. Our weapons are our minds. Our ammunition is our words. That is why it gets so heated in here. That is why we get so partisan in here. That is how we do battle. That is how we fight on behalf of the people who sent us here to represent them.
I received an e-mail the other day in my office from a constituent I have never met who referred to a recent newspaper article in which there were some rather unfair criticisms of my style and so on. The e-mail said “I do not agree with that reporter. I want my MP to be heard. You keep it up”. I will keep it up. There is no doubt about that.
This is a most reprehensible attack on you, Sir. It is a reprehensible attack on the table officers, on the staff and on the very institution that we would all die for. We know that. Many have died for it. We celebrate our veterans when we bring them here. We will continue to fight to uphold that democratic principle.
If members do not like what they see they should not attack the Speaker. They are trying to shoot the messenger who is just doing a job. If they want to attack us that is fair ball and we will give it right back.