Madam Speaker, I appreciate the comments from the member opposite. I am not sure I completely follow his line of thinking. If it is followed to the natural extension, I guess he is saying his government was elected like negative option billing; that the Liberals were elected because people did not vote. That is a sad admission in a democratic state.
As for his attempt to draw me into a partisan commentary on the previous government being more corrupt than his government and that patronage appointments somehow in the previous administration could even hold a candle to his Prime Minister, I am going to avoid that commentary. Suffice it to say that I was in high school when that previous administration was in place.
The hon. member is a hardworking member of Parliament and I respect that about him. I think he is right to point out that all members of Parliament are not corrupt.
I think he and I could agree that this Parliament and politics generally are falling into disrepute. We have to make efforts to modernize Parliament to make it more relevant, to make it something that Canadians feel works for them. There is a disconnect that is growing. That is what in my view is accounting for the low voter turnout. Young people in particular do not feel that politics and politicians are relevant in their lives and they are looking for other options.
We can reinvigorate and revive the sense of efficiency in Parliament if we work smarter, if we speak directly to people and if we pass laws that will have an immediate impact on their lives. Currently the country is slipping. His administration has the--