Mr. Speaker, may I extend my congratulations to you. There is nothing extraordinary about the member for Kingston and the Islands playing such an important role in the life of parliament, nor is it the first time such a thing has happened. Sir John A. Macdonald, as well as Flora MacDonald, have represented this riding. It is a riding that has a strong tradition of service to the country and, today, you are part of that tradition.
I also congratulate the other candidates who put their names forward. I encouraged the members of my caucus not to put their names forward for this, and you are just fortunate, Mr. Speaker, that the hon. member for Saint John followed my advice on this occasion.
Mr. Speaker, we all recognize your long interest in this institution. As the Prime Minister said, you were a student of this institution before you were a member here. You understand the reason there is a parliament. You understand the responsibilities of this institution. You understand the importance of treating each member here as an individual with equal rights and equal responsibilities.
We as your constituents will be holding you to account for that view as we go forward.
We also all know that we are meeting at a time and electing a Speaker at a time when there is a declining respect for parliament and the profession of politics as a whole. It is a responsibility upon all of us in the next four years to ensure that we change that pattern and re-establish a respect for this institution.
That has to do with more than just comportment on the floor of the House. It has to do with more than what might be called respect. It also has to do with ensuring that this place becomes a House that has the power to determine the destiny of the country.
The House of Commons was established to have members of parliament with power, to have influence over affairs and a parliament with power to control the spending of government. We are all equal here.
There is a great difference between a government and a parliament. In a government there is a primus inter pares. The Prime Minister is a leader among others but not here. In the House of Commons we are all equal as members of parliament. With the greatest of respect to you, we expect to be treated that way in the days to come.
The House of Commons itself will consider changes in the rules and the regulations that need to be introduced. We are counting upon you to ensure that the rules now in place are interpreted in a sense of fairness and equality and make the House earn the respect of the people of the country. We all want to serve our country. We know you do too.
We congratulate you on your election today. On behalf of my party we look forward to working very constructively with you in the interests of parliament and of Canada.