It is very frustrating. Today I have talked about the government becoming the latest incarnation of the Ottawa 67s. It now has brought in time allocation 67 times, even beating the record of Brian Mulroney, who in just over six years closed down debate in this place 66 times.
Now we see a new champion across the way, a government that railed and went on and on about how horrible and sinful it was. Yet when we look at the Prime Minister who has a heavy hand in so many areas, we should not be surprised. People seem shocked by this, but maybe when we look at it we should not be so shocked. We are certainly saddened by it.
I have a history in this place of being the only reformer, now a Canadian Alliance member. Neither of these guys was here then. I used to sit with the Liberals in the lobby. I remember many of them. I ate with many of them. I visited on airplanes back and forth with many of them. I can remember times when they were so upset and outraged in that back lobby. Boy, they could hardly put a lid on it. The member for Kingston and the Islands would come back practically vibrating because he would be so upset about the Mulroney Tories and how terrible they were. I also remember the words by the hon. member for Broadview—Greenwood, when he was sitting in the lobby right behind where I am standing now, over what happened in government.
I remember visiting and speaking to many of those people. When I was first sworn in here I sat up in the corner. I was surrounded by the member for Broadview—Greenwood and I think the former member for Acadie—Bathurst, Doug Young, who for some strange reason is no longer in the House. The minister for Indian affairs was also there. We were all left-handers sitting up in the corner, or the dummy corner as it was dubbed. We had some good visits and some good times up there.
When I visited with those members back in the lobby, while we all ate left-handed—but you have to love us—they told me that they would not be like the Tory government. They said “When we get to government it will be different. I asked them to promise me that if they did form the next government that they would not do the same as the Mulroney Tories. They said “Oh, yes. Scout's honour, Deb”. It was as if everything was going to be okay and we would not have a thing to worry about. I remember them saying that they could never be that arrogant. They said that they could never be as bad as the Tories on time allocation and closing off debate. They said that free trade was a horrible thing and that they were against it.
Does anyone remember the 1988 election? The Liberals ran some good ads. The only problem was that they did not believe them.