Mr. Chairman, I have a question for the government House leader, which carries on the dialogue that has been established.
The government House leader said, and I would certainly agree at one level, that House leaders and others who are privy to the consultations that preceded the tabling of the bill should not have to have a microphone stuck in their face and answer questions. I think that was the phrase he used. However, I wonder whether he thinks it proper, having said that, that they should be able to have a microphone stuck in their face and have it both ways.
I am referring to the fact, as the minister said, that there were wide consultations preceding the tabling of this legislation. In my judgment, the final form of the legislation, particularly with respect to the fact that the legislation legislates all members who had opted out back into the plan, is a feature of the legislation that was sought by the party which had the majority of the people who opted out.
The only reason this is before the House is because it was fast tracked, because there was unanimous consent sought and given to deal with this in the manner in which we are dealing with it, that is to say, in a fast track sort of way. People sought what we have before us and gave unanimous consent to fast track it.
Then, much to my dismay—and I mean this as sincerely as I can possibly say it—after seeking it, after giving unanimous consent for it to be fast tracked, they then voted against it at second reading.
I admire the government House leader's determination to be a gentleman about this. Yesterday I stood in this place and I said that I thought an ugly chapter in Canadian politics was over, and I meant it. That is because I thought that at the very least the people who had helped bring this legislation into being, who went out and defended the legislation, who justified it and said why they needed it, because of medical insurance, life insurance and the fact that they had brought this situation on themselves—all of those things I was prepared to listen to with the understanding that they would not then walk into the House, as they did this afternoon, and put the rest of us in a position of voting for a bill which they now have voted against, in the majority.
I say to the government House leader that I cannot find this anything but reprehensible. I wonder, are the people who voted against this provision not going to exercise their right to buy back, if that is one of the options that is open to them?
I just find it incomprehensible, I say to the government House leader, and I seek his view on this, that this could have happened this way. I understood, yes, that there might be the odd backbencher, that there might be the odd person who would not accept what had been negotiated between the parties, but not that the leadership of the party and the majority of the caucus, after having sought this, after having fast tracked it, would then stand to vote against it. I find it absolutely incomprehensible.
I have no more to say. In 21 years I have never seen anything like this.