Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the members in the House of Commons who participated in the debate. I appreciate their opinions. Although we may not agree with some of them, we certainly do appreciate hon. members having a say.
I would like to especially express my appreciation to the thousands, and I mean thousands, of grassroots natives across this country who have taken the time to support the bill and have input with Leona Freed to put together a final 200 page report that we have released today which is available to all members of the House of Commons. I encourage each and every one of them to get a copy of that.
I am making a last plea on behalf of the aboriginal grassroots people, many of whom are with us today in the gallery. I am pleased to have them here. We are looking for support on the bill.
I would like to remind all members that this is a very serious consideration. There is not one member, you, Mr. Speaker, myself, every member in the House of Commons, any citizen in Canada who does not have access to am ombudsman to help deal with grievances in their lives. The only people that does not apply to are natives who live on a reserve. Is it not about time that these people who live on the reserves have the same equality that each and every one of us in the House and across this land enjoy?
These kinds of inequalities must not exist. If hon. members vote no, they are saying no to equality and they should remember that. Hon. members do not want equality on the reserves if they vote no. I encourage hon. members to support these people and I encourage them to remember that the basis of all of this is a plea for accountability. A no vote means no to accountability. I will remember how hon. members vote.