Mr. Speaker, in this place we always want to have the highest respect and regard for other members regardless of party. It is always good to hear contrary opinions. It gives people a benchmark or a framework.
I would have expected the opposition to say there are two white male parliamentary secretaries from Mississauga and is that not terrible? But what the member did not say is that the two white male parliamentary secretaries now from Mississauga had to wait in line until after that member and another female member in Mississauga South were parliamentary secretaries before us, and there were no men, so in fact there is a perfect gender balance here. This is an excellent example of where a member would like to take the facts and spin them or twist them in a way that makes the point. I congratulate the member for being a good member of the opposition.
With regard to committees and how they operate, and maybe more important, the point she made about what is going on today, first, as a member of Parliament I have an opportunity and a responsibility to participate in debate and to have a position on almost any subject I want to. That is because this is a democracy. I may not agree with everything that the member has said, but I respect her right to have those positions.
What is happening today is part of the democratic process. I still firmly believe that the opposition has a role. It is to be totally contrary to the government's position and that is its job. One cannot be friends with the opposition.