Madam Speaker, I was one of the members who ran in 1993 and was defeated in 1993. We have heard a lot about what happened at that time. It was a split vote from the right. The vote I achieved in 1988 which put me in office was split in 1993. A big argument that was used to take the votes away from me was that the Reformers would not allow the pension plan to stay in place, that they would not participate in the pension plan.
I was hammered with it day and night in that election campaign. Many Reform members gained their seats based on that argument. That was the sole, main or prime argument they used against members of parliament like me who had served one term.
I remember it just like it was yesterday. They accused me of coming back only for the pension. I did not run in the first place for the pension. I did not run in the second place for the pension. It is part of being a member of parliament. They hammered away at that and I lost my seat because the vote was split.
I wonder if the hon. member could comment on another issue in that campaign, that members of parliament should be subject to recall if they do not honour their promises. Reform members at that time said they were not interested in participating in the pension and that they would do away with the pension. I wonder if the member for Saint John would comment.
Considering that the former Reform Party members who are now Canadian Alliance members say that members of parliament should be subject to recall, does the hon. member for Saint John think, if Reform members accept the pension and vote to go into the pension again, they should be subject to recall? That is the first part of my question.
The second part of my question is: Does the member think that the leadership candidates for the Canadian Alliance Party should state their positions? I propose that each candidate should state his position on the pension plan. They should indicate whether or not they support the pension plan and whether or not they support members of the Canadian Alliance Party opting back into the plan and buying back their former service. I wonder what her thoughts would be.