Mr. Speaker, before commenting on Motion No. 6, I would first like to respond to the remarks by the hon. member for Scarborough East, who has a lot of hopes riding on this matter. He is probably quite sincere. I know him, and he is sincere in what he is saying.
He has high hopes that with the tabling of the annual report a number of his questions will be answered. He spoke of reasons for detention, of the proportion of citizens and non-citizens and of how the relevant provisions will be applied. Apart from the third question, he would have been more prudent had he made sure these questions were transformed into criteria determined ahead of time so he would have some assurance of their being considered.
The law currently provides that the annual report cannot be debated in the House; it is merely tabled. Theoretically, it could be examined by a committee, but a House committee is not the House.
I think the member has gone as far as he can as a Liberal backbencher. He could go no further. He said the people in his riding have made him aware of their concerns. He said the people in his riding are of diverse backgrounds, and some are afraid of being targeted by the police.
I am picking up his remarks, because, under the circumstances, it is probably the best speech we have heard from the members opposite since the start of the debate on this matter. Unless I have misunderstood him, he is sure this bill will be challenged and for well founded reasons.
In the situation where I was faced with a bill I was pretty sure would be challenged by people in my riding, and for good reason, I would oppose it. I do not know whether the member for Scarborough East is listening, but in such a case I would oppose it. This is not what he seems to want to do. It is incredible to hear that. I do not doubt his sincerity and his honesty, but I have doubts about his sense of consequence.