Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for pointing out that she was elected 13 years ago yesterday. So was I, but the difference is that I was given a little vacation in 1993 and recycled in 1997 so I can be considered environmentally friendly.
I have two questions for the member. She said several times that those members are now in government so they must be responsible. I think that is a good philosophy, but is it not responsible to ask the government to do an annual accounting of who claimed diplomatic immunity in a given year? We have asked for it and the government has turned it down. I think that is a responsible attitude and approach. It would respect Canadians and would provide Canadians with the information to which they are entitled. It is open and transparent.
It is very important for the member to listen to my second question. She said there is no blanket coverage, but there was a public statement in a newspaper article written by Greg Weston. The statement can only be interpreted as saying that the bill would provide blanket coverage. The member should listen to this statement and if it is wrong, correct it. The statement is that under the bill anyone showing up at international conferences:
--that's delegates, officials, staff, families, bag-carriers--would have diplomatic immunity to rape, steal, drive drunk and otherwise break Canadian laws with impunity, compliments of our national government.
If that statement is not correct, it should be corrected. Would the member say specifically what is wrong with that statement?